CTZ001-013-MAZ001-025-NYZ032-033-038>043-047>054-058>061-063>066-
082>084-VTZ013>015-191200-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ALBANY NY
800 AM EDT TUE MAR 18 2008

...FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK CONTINUES...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND NEW YORK AND NEW ENGLAND 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES REMIND YOU THAT MARCH 17 THROUGH 
MARCH 21 IS FLOOD SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK.

TODAY WE TURN OUR ATTENTION TO A DEADLY THREAT...FLASH FLOODING.

FLASH FLOODING IS A RAPID RISE...WITHIN SIX HOURS...OF WATER ALONG
 A STREAM OR LOW LYING URBAN AREA. THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF FLASH 
FLOODING IS DOWNPOURS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS. HOWEVER...
FLASH FLOODING CAN ALSO RESULT FROM ICE JAMS...DAM BREAKS...AND 
THE EFFECTS OF HEAVY WINTER RAIN AND SNOW MELT. FLASH FLOODING IS 
MEANT TO IMPLY THE THREAT IS URGENT.

EASTERN NEW YORK AND ADJACENT WESTERN ENGLAND ARE PARTICULARLY 
SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLASH FLOODING BECAUSE OF TOPOGRAPHY. HEAVY RAIN
FALLING ON STEEP TERRAIN CREATES AN IDEAL SITUATION FOR FLASH 
FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING PRESENTS A THREAT TO THE URBAN MOTORIST 
AS WELL. UNDERPASSES CAN FILL RAPIDLY WITH WATER. DRIVING INTO A 
FLOODED UNDERPASS CAN QUICKLY PUT YOU IN FIVE OR SIX FEET OF WATER. 
LAST YEAR...THIRTEEN FLASH FLOOD EVENTS WERE RECORDED IN EASTERN 
NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. RECENT FLASH FLOOD EVENTS INCLUDE 
THE NORTHWAY WASHOUT IN WARREN COUNTY JUNE 2005...FLASH FLOODING IN 
WINDHAM COUNTY VERMONT JUNE 2006...AND FLASH FLOODING IN THE CITY 
OF SCHENECTADY AUGUST 2006. 

FLASH FLOODING CAN BE DEADLY. FOUR PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN JUNE 2007 
IN DELAWARE COUNTY NEW YORK FROM A FLASH FLOOD CAUSED BY 11 INCHES 
OF RAIN FALLING IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ALMOST HALF OF ALL FLASH 
FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. TWO FEET OF FLOWING WATER 
WILL CAUSE MOST CARS TO FLOAT...SMALLER CARS WILL FLOAT IN LESS 
WATER. FLOODING HAZARDS ARE INCREASED AT NIGHT WHEN VISIBILITY IS 
REDUCED. NOAAS NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE URGES YOU TO RESPECT ALL 
BARRIERS THAT WARN OF FLOODED ROADS. TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN. 

THOSE WITH INTERESTS ALONG RIVERS...CREEKS AND STREAMS SHOULD 
REMAIN ALERT FOR FLASH FLOODING. CAMPERS ARE PARTICULARLY AT RISK. 
A NORMALLY PLACID STREAM CAN SWELL TO A 10 FOOT DEEP RAGING RIVER 
IN LESS THAN AN HOUR IF THUNDERSTORM DOWNPOURS INUNDATE AN AREA. 
REMEMBER...SIX INCHES OF FLOWING WATER IS OFTEN ENOUGH TO KNOCK A 
PERSON OFF THEIR FEET. WHEN OUTDOORS...KEEP ALERT FOR...MUDDY 
RAPIDLY RISING STREAMS...OR A LOUD ROARING SOUND UPSTREAM. IF 
OBSERVED...HEAD FOR HIGHER GROUND IMEDIATELY.

NOAA WEATHER RADIO ALL HAZARDS OFFERS THE BEST WAY TO STAY IN 
TOUCH WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS WHETHER AT HOME...WORK OR PLAY. 
NOAA WEATHER RADIO PROVIDES CONTINUOUS BROADCASTS OF WEATHER 
INFORMATION...WITH IMMEDIATE RELAY OF ANY FLOOD WARNINGS. NOAAS 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECOMMENDS EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO A 
NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

REMEMBER...TURN AROUND...DONT DROWN.

TOMORROW WE REVIEW TROPICAL INLAND FLOODING.

FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH INTERNET ACCESS...ALL OF OUR WEATHER 
INFORMATION...INCLUDING RIVER FORECASTS...IS AVAILABLE ONLINE. 
SIMPLY GO TO WWW.WEATHER.GOV AND THEN CLICK ON EASTERN NEW YORK 
OR ADJACENT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. 

$$

OKEEFE/DIRIENZO