Flash Flood Threat Developing
UPDATE 3:45PM CDT:
Serious flash flooding near Oxford, MS at the present time. Some roads impassible.
Flash flooding is now occurring in parts of the Southwest. Maroon represents flash flood warnings.
Please scroll down and watch the videos. If the live in the Southwest, the first video is especially important. It illustrates how rain can fall in the higher elevations and not reach you until the sky is sunny!
ORIGINAL POSTING:
There are three areas where flash flooding is possible later today and tonight. The Ohio Valley (green is NWS flash flood watches),
the Southwest,
and, in parts of south central and southeast Kansas into the Ozarks if a band of east-west strong thunderstorms develops later today and tonight.
The terms "incredible" and "amazing" are used far too often with weather videos but I think amazing applies to the one I have posted below. It demonstrates how life-threatening floods can occur in the Southwest hours from when the rains fall in the mountains. Imagine trying to get through the high, choked-with-debris water in your car with your family inside.
With the flash flood in Phoenix yesterday and the flooding in Las Vegas Friday evening, this weather situation is a potent one. Whether you live in the Southwest or the Ohio Valley, turn around, don't drown!
If you don't believe it can happen to you, watch the video below which shows the car being flooded, floating and sinking under the water!
This very brief video shows how quickly things can go from safe to near-fatal. Chris says had his car not buckled and the window broken he never would have been able to get out. I'll let him pick it up in his own words.
Serious flash flooding near Oxford, MS at the present time. Some roads impassible.
Flash flooding is now occurring in parts of the Southwest. Maroon represents flash flood warnings.
ORIGINAL POSTING:
There are three areas where flash flooding is possible later today and tonight. The Ohio Valley (green is NWS flash flood watches),
the Southwest,
 |
| Graphic updated 1:28pm CDT Monday |
The terms "incredible" and "amazing" are used far too often with weather videos but I think amazing applies to the one I have posted below. It demonstrates how life-threatening floods can occur in the Southwest hours from when the rains fall in the mountains. Imagine trying to get through the high, choked-with-debris water in your car with your family inside.
With the flash flood in Phoenix yesterday and the flooding in Las Vegas Friday evening, this weather situation is a potent one. Whether you live in the Southwest or the Ohio Valley, turn around, don't drown!
If you don't believe it can happen to you, watch the video below which shows the car being flooded, floating and sinking under the water!
This very brief video shows how quickly things can go from safe to near-fatal. Chris says had his car not buckled and the window broken he never would have been able to get out. I'll let him pick it up in his own words.
Published on Jun 2, 2013
This is a view from my D-TEG dashcam. I approached a flooded road and made a quick U-turn rather than driving [all the way] into the water. This was a naturally smart move. Unfortunately my turn resulted in me plunging off a hidden embankment and splashing nose-first right into a swollen creek where I sunk straight to the bottom, I traveled several hundred feet underwater with the car quickly filling up. At one point I was completely surrounded by water and just holding my breath in the darkness. Somehow the driver-side and passenger-side windows broke and I was flushed from the vehicle. I surfaced after a bit and found myself racing down the creek. A cop called out to me and I was able to swim to him and his life-saving grab.
Analysis:
It probably would have been best for the police car (seen right before my turn) to have completely blocked the road the emergency lights on. As it was, the scene seemed like just a water hazard but probably should have been clearly marked as a no-go zone.
I should have come to a complete stop and taken more time to evaluate the situation. Ideally I should have just put it into reverse and slowly backed out. I took a dangerous situation and made it even worse leaping before I looked.
Lessons learned:
Turn around, don't drown!
Analysis:
It probably would have been best for the police car (seen right before my turn) to have completely blocked the road the emergency lights on. As it was, the scene seemed like just a water hazard but probably should have been clearly marked as a no-go zone.
I should have come to a complete stop and taken more time to evaluate the situation. Ideally I should have just put it into reverse and slowly backed out. I took a dangerous situation and made it even worse leaping before I looked.
Lessons learned:
Turn around, don't drown!
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