NOUS42 KCHS 181000
PNSCHS

GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-SCZ040-042>045-047>052-190500-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
600 AM EDT FRI MAR 18 2011 
 
...FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK TOPIC - FLOOD SAFETY...
 
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 FLOOD SAFETY.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RIVER FLOODING 
AND FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS THE RAPID INUNDATION OF AREAS 
THAT DO NOT NORMALLY FLOOD...USUALLY DURING TORRENTIAL SHOWERS OR 
THUNDERSTORMS. IF FLOODING IS ONLY EXPECTED TO BE A NUISANCE...THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUES A FLOOD ADVISORY. IN CASES WHERE 
FLOODING IS EXPECTED TO BE A RISK TO LIFE AND PROPERTY...A FLASH 
FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED.

RIVER FLOODING IS A MUCH SLOWER RISE IN WATER LEVELS ALONG MAIN-STEM 
RIVERS SUCH AS THE SAVANNAH RIVER...OGEECHEE RIVER...OR EDISTO 
RIVER. RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS ARE ISSUED WHEN LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO 
CAUSE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO PROPERTY ALONG THE RIVER. IF YOU LIVE 
ALONG A RIVER AND ARE NOT SURE WHAT FLOODS...TALK TO CITY OR COUNTY 
OFFICIALS OR EVEN NEIGHBORS TO DETERMINE AT WHAT RIVER LEVEL TO 
EVACUATE. 

HOW TO REDUCE POTENTIAL FLOOD DAMAGE AND WHAT TO INCLUDE IN A FAMILY 
DISASTER PLAN CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS. THE NWS 
WORKS WITH AND RELIES ON STRATEGIC PARTNERS INVOLVED IN FLOODPLAIN 
MANAGEMENT...FLOOD HAZARD MITIGATION...FLOOD PREPAREDNESS...AND 
FLOOD WARNINGS TO REDUCE THE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DUE TO 
FLOODS.  KEY PARTNERS INCLUDE THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL 
SURVEY...FEMA...THE ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS AND THE 
AMERICAN RED CROSS. 

NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO RECEIVE 
FLOOD WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. NOAA WEATHER RADIO 
ALL HAZARDS IS A NATIONWIDE NETWORK OF RADIO STATIONS BROADCASTING 
CONTINUOUS WEATHER AND RIVER INFORMATION DIRECT FROM NEARBY NWS 
OFFICES. THE NWS WEB PAGE ALSO IDENTIFIES WHERE FLOODING IS 
OCCURRING OR EXPECTED: WWW.WEATHER.GOV 

$$