NOUS42 KCHS 230927
PNSCHS
GAZ087-088-099>101-114>119-137>141-241000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
430 AM EST THU FEB 7 2008

...GEORGIA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES THROUGH 
SATURDAY...

FLASH FLOODS AND FLOODS ARE ADDITIONAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH
THUNDERSTORMS. FLASH FLOODING IS THE NUMBER ONE KILLER IN 
THUNDERSTORMS...KILLING NEARLY 140 PEOPLE ANNUALLY. MOST FLASH
FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR AT NIGHT AND WHEN PEOPLE BECOME TRAPPED IN
AUTOMOBILES.

FLASH FLOODING OCCURS WHEN STREAMS...SMALL RIVERS AND URBAN AREAS 
ARE NOT ABLE TO HANDLE LARGE AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL IN A SHORT PERIOD 
OF TIME...USUALLY LESS THAN SIX HOURS.

RIVER FLOODING OCCURS AFTER HEAVY RAINFALL HAS FALLEN OVER A RIVER
BASIN. THIS TYPE OF FLOODING DEVELOPS OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME
THAN FLASH FLOODING AND USUALLY ONLY AFFECTS PEOPLE...PROPERTY
AND CROPS THAT ARE NEAR THE BANKS OF THE RIVER.

URBAN FLOODING OCCURS IN CITIES AND TOWNS WHERE DRAINAGE IS
INADEQUATE TO HANDLE THE RUNOFF DURING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. WITH
ROADS AND PARKING LOTS BEING DEVELOPED AT A RAPID PACE...IT IS
BECOMING MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE LAND TO ABSORB RAINFALL. DURING
PERIODS OF URBAN FLOODING...STREETS CAN BECOME CUT OFF AS WATER
SPREADS FREELY EVERYWHERE. URBAN FLOODING CAN BE ENHANCED ALONG THE
SOUTH CAROLINA AND GEORGIA COASTS WHEN HEAVY RAINFALL OCCURS AROUND
THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE.

WHEN DRIVING...ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT...NEVER CROSS A FLOODED ROADWAY
SINCE IT WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW HOW DEEP THE WATER IS. A TORRENT
OF WATER 18 INCHES DEEP EXERTS ENOUGH FORCE TO SWEEP AN AUTOMOBILE
AWAY. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

KNOW YOUR AREAS FLOOD RISK. BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SAFETY QUICKLY
IF A WARNING IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA OR YOU SEE THE WATER BEGIN TO
RISE RAPIDLY.

$$