NWS HAS DESIGNATED MARCH 12-16, 2012, AS THE ANNUAL NATIONAL FLOODSource: http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=sgx&pil=PNS&sid=SGX&version=0
SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK.
IT FLOODS SOMEWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR ITS TERRITORIES NEARLY
EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR. FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA, WEATHER
RELATED FATALITIES CAUSED BY FLOODING OR FLASH FLOODING IS ONLY
SECOND BEHIND HEAT AND COLD RELATED HAZARDS. IN THE PAST 30 YEARS,
FLOODS HAVE CLAIMED AN AVERAGE OF 94 LIVES A YEAR IN THE UNITED
STATES AND THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF FLOODS ARE GROWING. THE ANNUAL
AVERAGE INFLATION-ADJUSTED DIRECT DAMAGE COSTS DUE TO FLOODING HAVE
RISEN EACH OF THE PAST THREE DECADES FROM $4.7 BILLION FOR
1981-1990, TO
$7.9 BILLION FOR 1991-2000, TO $10.2 BILLION FOR 2001-2010.
FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING IMPACTS IN SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA ARE MOST
COMMON DURING THE WINTER SEASON (DECEMBER TO MARCH), BUT ALSO OCCUR
DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS (JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER), MAINLY IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND DESERTS.
THE GOALS OF FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK ARE TO INFORM THE PUBLIC
ABOUT NWS FORECAST AND WARNING SERVICES AND FLOOD SAFETY
INFORMATION, HEIGHTEN PUBLIC AWARENESS TO THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH
ALL TYPES OF FLOODS INCLUDING FLASH FLOODING, STORM SURGE, AND THOSE
RELATED TO DAM OR LEVEE FAILURES, AND EMPOWER CITIZENS TO TAKE
ACTIONS NECESSARY TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES AND PROPERTY.
2011 WAS A DEVASTATING YEAR FOR FLOODING IMPACTS AND PROVIDED A
CLEAR EXAMPLE OF WHY AMERICANS DEPEND ON MULTI-AGENCY WATER RESOURCE
SERVICES LIKE FLOOD FORECASTS AND WARNINGS ISSUED BY THE NWS, WATER
OBSERVATIONS PROVIDED BY THE USGS, WATER CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT
PROVIDED BY THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND THE FEDERAL
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) EFFORTS IN FLOOD PREPAREDNESS AND
RESPONSE. AT ANY TIME, HEAVY RAINFALL OR RAPID SNOW MELT CAN LEAD TO
FLOODING. EACH GEOGRAPHIC REGION OF THE UNITED STATES HAS ONE OR
MORE TIMES OF THE YEAR WITH AN INCREASED RISK OF FLOODING. IN THE
LATE FALL AND WINTER, POWERFUL PACIFIC STORMS CAN STRIKE THE WEST
COAST CAUSING EXTENSIVE FLOODING. FROM LATE WINTER INTO SPRING,
PEOPLE LIVING ACROSS THE NORTHERN THIRD OF THE NATION CLOSELY
MONITOR NWS FORECASTS WHEN SNOW AND ICE CAN MELT QUICKLY,
POTENTIALLY CAUSING ICE JAMS AND EXTENSIVE RIVER FLOODING. IN THE
SPRING AND SUMMER, THE THREAT OF A FLASH FLOOD FROM A THUNDERSTORM
IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY ALMOST ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. EACH SUMMER
AND FALL, MILLIONS OF PEOPLE LIVING NEAR THE GULF AND EAST COASTS
LISTEN KEENLY TO TROPICAL WEATHER REPORTS TO DETERMINE IF FLOODING
FROM A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE WILL IMPACT THEIR AREA. AS OUR
NATION/S INFRASTRUCTURE AGES, INCREASED STRESSES ON DAMS AND LEVEES
DUE TO THE SEASONAL IMPACTS DESCRIBED ABOVE CAN HEIGHTEN FLOOD
THREATS. REGARDLESS OF THE CAUSE, THE NWS IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVING
THE TIMELINESS AND ACCURACY OF RIVER AND FLOOD FORECASTS AND
WARNINGS NECESSARY TO HELP PROTECT LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS.
WATER RESOURCES DECISION MAKERS REQUIRE NEW AND MORE INTEGRATED
INFORMATION AND SERVICES TO ADAPT TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF FUTURE
CLIMATE, LAND-USE CHANGES, AN AGING WATER DELIVERY INFRASTRUCTURE,
AND AN INCREASING DEMAND ON LIMITED RESOURCES. DR. THOMAS GRAZIANO,
CHIEF OF THE NWS HYDROLOGIC SERVICES DIVISION, STATED; TO ADDRESS
THESE GROWING CHALLENGES AND TO MITIGATE THE DEATH AND DESTRUCTION
CAUSED BY FLOODS, NOAA, THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND THE
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, WITH COMPLEMENTARY MISSIONS IN WATER
SCIENCE, OBSERVATION, PREDICTION AND MANAGEMENT, HAVE FORMED A
PARTNERSHIP ENTITLED INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES SCIENCE AND SERVICES
(IWRSS) TO ADDRESS THE NATION/S WATER RESOURCES INFORMATION AND
MANAGEMENT NEEDS. IN MAY 2011, THIS PARTNERSHIP WAS FORMALIZED
THROUGH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING SIGNED BY THE THREE AGENCIES.
ON FEBRUARY 21, 2012, NOAA COMMENCED THE OFFICIAL GROUNDBREAKING OF
THE NEW NATIONAL WATER CENTER (NWC) ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF ALABAMA IN TUSCALOOSA. GARY CARTER, DIRECTOR OF THE NWS OFFICE OF
HYDROLOGIC DEVELOPMENT, STATED, THE NWC WILL CREATE A FIRST-OF-ITS-
KIND NATIONAL CENTER FOR WATER FORECAST OPERATIONS, RESEARCH AND
INTERAGENCY COORDINATION AND SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR IWRSS. IT WILL
SUPPORT THE ROUTINE GENERATION OF ENHANCED WATER RESOURCES FORECASTS
AND INFORMATION TO MORE EFFECTIVELY MANAGE THE NATION/S INCREASINGLY
LIMITED WATER SUPPLY AND FACILITATE ADAPTIVE PLANNING AND
MANAGEMENT. THE NWC WILL BE READY FOR INITIAL OCCUPATION IN LATE
FISCAL YEAR 2013 AND WILL BE STAFFED BY MULTIPLE FEDERAL PARTNER
WATER AGENCIES TO ENSURE STRONG COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION.
EXTENSIVE INFORMATION ABOUT FLOODING AND FLOOD SAFETY, INCLUDING
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, VIDEOS, BROCHURES AND NEWS ARTICLES CAN BE
FOUND ONLINE AT:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/FLOODSAFETY/
DETAILED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THIS WEB PAGE ABOUT IMPORTANT
TOPICS COVERED IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS.
ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE
THE ADVANCED HYDROLOGIC PREDICTION SERVICE (AHPS) IS THE NWS
FRONTLINE SOLUTION FOR PROVIDING IMPROVED RIVER AND FLOOD
FORECASTING AND WATER INFORMATION ACROSS AMERICA. AHPS PROVIDES A
SUITE OF GRAPHICAL AND NUMERIC PRODUCTS OVER THE INTERNET TO ASSIST
THE PUBLIC, COMMUNITY LEADERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS IN MAKING
BETTER LIFE- AND COST-SAVING DECISIONS ABOUT EVACUATIONS AND
MOVEMENT OF PROPERTY BEFORE FLOODING OCCURS. THE BROAD REACH OF AHPS
EXTENDS THE RANGE OF FORECASTS FROM SHORT-TERM (UP TO 6 HOURS) TO
LONG-TERM (OUT TO WEEKS AND MONTHS). AHPS PROVIDES THE PUBLIC WITH
MORE DETAILED AND ACCURATE ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: HOW
HIGH WILL THE RIVER RISE? WHEN WILL THE RIVER REACH ITS PEAK? WHERE
WILL THE FLOODING OCCUR? HOW LONG WILL THE FLOOD LAST? HOW LONG WILL
THE DROUGHT CONTINUE? HOW CERTAIN IS THE FORECAST?
YOUR GATEWAY TO WEB RESOURCES PROVIDED THROUGH AHPS BEGINS HERE:
HTTP://WATER.WEATHER.GOV
TURN AROUND DONT DROWN TM
MOST FLOOD-RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN MOTOR VEHICLES WHEN PEOPLE
ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. DONT UNDERESTIMATE THE
POWER OF FLOWING WATER ACROSS A ROAD. IT ONLY TAKES 12 TO 18 INCHES
OF WATER TO CAUSE A VEHICLE, EVEN LARGE SUVS, TO FLOAT. UNKNOWN TO
THE DRIVER, THE ROAD MAY EVEN BE WASHED AWAY UNDER THE SURFACE OF
THE WATER, ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO BE SWEPT AWAY WITH THE FLOOD
CURRENT. THE NWS HAS DEVELOPED THE FLOOD SAFETY SLOGAN: TURN AROUND
DONT DROWN (TM) AND HOPES YOU WILL REMEMBER THESE WORDS WHEN YOU ARE
FACED WITH A FLOODED ROADWAY AND HAVE AN IMPORTANT DECISION TO MAKE.
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO
RECOGNIZE FLOOD DANGERS.
FLOODS, DROUGHTS, AND OTHER RELATED PHENOMENA.
HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES HAVE ALWAYS PLAGUED OUR VAST NATION. IN 2011 THE
NATION EXPERIENCED SEVERE DROUGHT IN TEXAS AND OKLAHOMA, SNOWMELT
FLOODING IN THE NORTHERN TIER STATES, HEAVY RAINFALL FLOODING OVER
THE OHIO AND MIDDLE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEYS THAT LEAD TO FLOODING
ALONG THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER AND INLAND FLOODING FROM TROPICAL
SYSTEMS ALONG THE EAST COAST STATES AND INTO NEW ENGLAND. EACH OF
THESE PHENOMENA HAS ITS OWN UNIQUE SET OF RISKS AND ASSOCIATED
SAFETY PROTOCOLS. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER
HYDROLOGIC EXTREMES, REFER TO:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/FLOODSAFETY/INDEX.SHTML
FLOOD INSURANCE
FLOOD LOSSES TYPICALLY ARE NOT COVERED IN HOMEOWNER INSURANCE
POLICIES; HOWEVER, FLOOD INSURANCE IS AVAILABLE IN COMMUNITIES
TAKING PART IN FEMA NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. FEMA/S
FLOODSMART CAMPAIGN PROMOTES THE IDEA THAT ALL AMERICANS SHOULD KNOW
THEIR FLOOD RISK AND CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE FLOOD INSURANCE. FOR
MORE INFORMATION ON FLOOD INSURANCE, REFER TO:
HTTP://WWW.FLOODSMART.GOV
FLOOD SAFETY AND A WEATHER READY NATION
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, RESEARCHERS, AND
THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NWS IS CHARTING A PATH TO A WEATHER-READY
NATION BY:
- IMPROVING THE PRECISION OF WEATHER AND WATER FORECASTS AND
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION OF RISK TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
- IMPROVING WEATHER DECISION SUPPORT SERVICES WITH NEW
INITIATIVES, SUCH AS THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOBILE-READY EMERGENCY
RESPONSE SPECIALIST TEAMS
- PROVIDING INNOVATIVE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, SUCH
AS THE NATIONWIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF DUAL POL RADAR TECHNOLOGY,
INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES SCIENCE AND SERVICES, AND THE JOINT
POLAR SATELLITE SYSTEM
- STRENGTHENING JOINT PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY
PREPAREDNESS
- WORKING WITH WEATHER ENTERPRISE PARTNERS AND THE EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY TO ENHANCE SAFETY AND ECONOMIC OUTPUT AND
EFFECTIVELY MANAGE ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES
THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE WEATHER READY NATION VISION IS TO SAVE
MORE LIVES AND PROTECT LIVELIHOODS AND THE ECONOMY AS
COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECOME INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE TO
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS. FOR UP-TO-DATE WEATHER AND FLOOD
INFORMATION AND MORE ON NWS, VISIT:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV
FOR MORE ON THE WEATHER READY NATION INITIATIVE AND PROJECTS,
VISIT:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/COM/WEATHERREADYNATION/
NOAAS MISSION IS TO UNDERSTAND AND PREDICT CHANGES IN THE EARTHS
ENVIRONMENT, FROM THE DEPTHS OF THE OCEAN TO THE SURFACE OF THE SUN,
AND TO CONSERVE AND MANAGE OUR COASTAL AND MARINE RESOURCES. VISIT
NOAA AT:
HTTP://WWW.NOAA.GOV
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
LORA MUELLER
NWS HYDROLOGIC SERVICES BRANCH
SILVER SPRING, MD 20910
LORA.MUELLER@NOAA.GOV
NATIONAL PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS ARE ONLINE AT:
HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/OM/NOTIF.HTM
LOCAL CONTACT:
ALEX TARDY
WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, SAN DIEGO
ALEXANDER.TARDY@NOAA.GOV
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