NOUS42 KCHS 161000
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-170500-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EDT WED MAR 16 2011 
 
...FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK TOPIC - TROPICAL CYCLONE FLOODING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS DECLARED MARCH 14 THROUGH 18 FLOOD
SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK. THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON WILL 
FEATURE A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL TOPIC EACH DAY DURING THE AWARENESS 
WEEK. THE TOPIC FOR TODAY IS TROPICAL CYCLONE INLAND FLOODING.

WHEN IT COMES TO TROPICAL CYCLONES WIND SPEEDS DO NOT TELL THE WHOLE 
STORY. INTENSE RAINFALL NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE WIND SPEED OF A 
TROPICAL CYCLONE OFTEN CAUSES MORE DAMAGE. SINCE THE 1970S INLAND 
FLOODING HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE DEATHS 
ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL CYCLONES IN THE UNITED STATES. TYPICALLY... 
GREATER RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND FLOODING ARE ASSOCIATED WITH TROPICAL 
CYCLONES THAT HAVE A SLOW FORWARD SPEED OR STALL OVER AN AREA.

STORM SURGE AND COASTAL FLOODING ARE THE MOST OBVIOUS FLOODING 
ISSUES RELATED TO TROPICAL CYCLONES. BUT EVEN WELL AWAY FROM THE 
COAST...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THESE SYSTEMS CAN CAUSE 
MAJOR PROBLEMS. SHORT-TERM FLOODING USUALLY CONSISTS OF THE 
INUNDATION OF LOW-LYING URBAN AREAS INCLUDING ROADS AND SOMETIMES 
BUILDINGS. RIVER FLOODING CAN PERSIST FOR MANY WEEKS FOLLOWING A 
TROPICAL CYCLONE.

IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY...DUE TO RELATIVELY FLAT TERRAIN... 
RIVERS RESPOND SLOWLY TO UPSTREAM RAINFALL. IT USUALLY TAKES MANY 
DAYS FOR RIVERS IN SOUTHEAST GEORGIA AND SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA TO 
CREST. THE SEVERITY OF FLOODING ALONG AREA RIVERS VARIES BY 
LOCATION. INFORMATION ON RIVER LEVELS INCLUDING FORECASTS AND 
EXPECTED IMPACTS CAN BE FOUND ON THE AHPS WEB PAGES. 
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/AHPS

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