PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EST THU FEB 24 2005

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

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

FLASH FLOODING OCCURS WHEN STREAMS AND SMALL RIVERS 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 ON 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
HIGH TIDES.

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

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.

$$