U.S. hit with record number of flash flood warnings
A total of 3,040 warnings from the National Weather Service went out from Jan. 1 through July 15, according to figures compiled by the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, which collects and tracks data on precipitation, soil temperature and other environmental conditions. That's more than any other year during that same time period since 1986, when the modern alert system was adopted.
The new record portends a wetter and rainier future that experts say is likely because of climate change. Studies have shown that severe storms and extreme rainfall are both expected to occur more frequently in a warming world.
A flash flood warning is issued by the National Weather Service when sudden and dangerous flooding is imminent or occurring.
This summer, in particular, has been characterized by intense rainfall and floods. States such as Texas, New Mexico, North Carolina, Illinois, New York and New Jersey are among those that experienced major flooding events in recent weeks. Earlier this month, the country was hit by at least four 1-in-1,000-year rainfall events in less than a week.
In June, flash floods killed at least nine people in West Virginia after around 2.5 to 4 inches of rain fell over parts of Ohio County in only 30 minutes.
At least 120 people were killed in central Texas' Hill Country region in early July after heavy rains caused the Guadalupe River, near Kerrville, to surge more than 20 feet in 90 minutes.
Days later, at least three people were killed by devastating flash floods in the remote village of Ruidoso in New Mexico.
And earlier this week, more than 2 inches of rain fell in a single hour over Central Park in New York City, marking the second-highest one-hour rainfall total recorded in the Big Apple, according to New York City Emergency Management.
The flurry of recent flash floods owes in part to the fact that the summer months tend to be some of the stormiest of the year, said Russ Schumacher, director of the Colorado Climate Center at Colorado State University and the state climatologist.
'June through October is when you can get really heavy rainfall in parts of the country,' he said, adding that the Atlantic hurricane season also runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, which can dump rain along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
But studies have shown that climate change is expected to make storms more frequent and intense, which increases the risk of heavy rainfall and flooding.
'A warmer atmosphere has more water vapor in it that can then be rained out,' Schumacher said. 'The evidence for that is quite strong.'
Still, part of the reason why there are more warnings issued than ever before is because scientists are able to detect and track weather systems in greater detail now.
Radar systems and weather models have significantly improved over the course of 40 years, which contributes to the number of warnings issued during extreme weather events, said Amir AghaKouchak, director of the Center for Hydrometeorology and Remote Sensing at the University of California, Irvine.
'The system that was implemented back in the '80s is not the same as the system that we have now,' he said. 'We have many, many more radars, and we have many different sources of data. So naturally you expect more warnings just because our systems are getting better and better.'
These warnings are essential for saving lives, but they are also crucial to protect infrastructure such as dams, levees or drainage systems that are vulnerable during flooding events, AghaKouchak said.
'It's all a reminder that these events can be major catastrophes,' he said. 'The Texas flood was a huge disaster, and so we always have to be prepared.'
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
31 minutes ago
- CNN
Steve Miller Band says extreme weather is so dangerous it's canceling its tour
Classic rocker Steve Miller has canceled his U.S. tour because he said severe weather including extreme heat and unpredictable flooding poses a danger to his band, its fans and crew. The tour was set to kick off in August and run through early November, with nearly three dozen stops across the U.S. including cities in New York, Tennessee, Florida and California. 'The combination of extreme heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and massive forest fires make these risks for you our audience, the band and the crew unacceptable,' Miller, 81, said in a statement posted on the band's social media accounts Wednesday. 'You can blame it on the weather. … The tour is cancelled.' The Steve Miller Band, formed in California in the 1960s, has hits including 'The Joker' (1973) and 'Abracadabra' (1982). A band spokesperson declined to provide additional details about the cancellation. Miller's decision comes as a stretch of extreme weather in the U.S. has made headlines. A sweltering heat dome that baked much of the eastern half of the nation in June and deadly flash flooding in Texas are some of the recent rounds of extreme weather. Scientists say climate change is fueling extreme weather, causing storms to unleash more rain and sending temperatures soaring to dangerous heights, making it harder to plan outdoor summer events. The atmosphere can hold higher amounts of moisture as it warms, resulting in storms dumping heavier amounts of rain compared with storms of the past. Prev Next 'Everyone wants to see their favorite artist, and that's still possible. You just have to best mitigate weather risks,' said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather, a private weather company. 'For example, the doors may open an hour late in order to ensure thunderstorms have moved sufficiently away from the venue so the show can go on safely.' Music festivals have recently encountered extreme weather, resulting in cancellations or causing concertgoers to become ill. In June, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Tennessee was canceled partway through due to heavy rainfall. Last week, hundreds of people were treated for heat-related illnesses at the Rock the Country music festival in Kentucky, according to local officials. In 2023, tens of thousands of Burning Man event attendees were stranded after heavy rain created thick mud in the Nevada desert and roads were temporarily closed. A study published in 2020 reported climate change will increase the likelihood of extreme heat stress during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California. Tropical storms and hurricanes will soon contribute to the turbulent weather as activity peaks between August and October, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Heavy rain threatens flash flooding for millions across much of the US
Tens of millions of people are at risk of dangerous flash floods in pockets of nearly every region of the contiguous United States Friday, as the nation's summer of flooding continues. As summer heat starts to peak, July has seen the exact conditions needed for flooding rain. An abundance of incredibly moist, humid air is fueling a majority of Friday's flood risk, giving storms the potential to dump very heavy, overwhelming rain in a short period of time. Here's what to expect in the main areas at risk. 'Worst-case scenario' flash flood potential in the East, slow-moving storms in the Midwest A stalled storm front draped across more than half a dozen states from Oklahoma to Virginia could dump multiple rounds of rain and touch off significant flash flooding Friday. A Level 3 of 4 flooding rain threat is in place for parts of northern Virginia and northeastern West Virginia, with Level 2 of 4 risks covering portions of the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and Midwest, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Many places in these risk areas could see an inch or two of rain – especially from the afternoon on – but some could record more, which is a concerning possibility given how wet the ground already is in some areas. The Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley have been hit by round after round of soaking rain this summer, leaving the soil less able to absorb additional rain and area waterways swollen. The West Virginia-Virginia border area has been hit particularly hard this summer and the National Weather Service is highlighting the potential for very heavy rain on Friday that could dump upwards of 5 inches there in a short time. If that happens, it would equate to a 1-in-100 year rainfall event. 'These extreme amounts won't be widespread and might not occur, but the potential is definitely there for worst-case scenario flash flooding,' the NWS warned. Petersburg, Virginia - just south of Richmond – has also been dealing with severe flooding in recent days and could get more soaking rain Friday. The city was under a flash flood emergency, the most severe flood warning, on Monday night as floodwater rose quickly. Slow-moving, heavy storms are also expected Friday afternoon in the Midwest before some severe thunderstorms potentially develop and keep storms from loitering around. Heavy rain broke daily rainfall records in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri on Thursday. Drenching storms dumped up to 9 inches of rain and prompted early morning flash flooding along the Kansas-Missouri border, including the Kansas City metro area, Thursday. A separate round of storms late Thursday night in Arkansas flooded roads and triggered multiple water rescues. Overwhelming rainfall is becoming more prevalent due to climate change, as rising global temperatures drive weather toward extremes. Hourly rainfall rates have grown heavier in nearly 90% of large US cities since 1970, according to a study from the nonprofit research group Climate Central. More soaking rain targets the Gulf Coast Storms have dropped several inches of rain in southern Louisiana since Wednesday night even as a would-be tropical threat wasn't able to get its act together. So far, the heaviest – up to 12 inches – has mainly fallen over wetlands in the south-central part of the state that are able to absorb excess rain. A Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rain is place Friday from the Florida Panhandle to eastern Texas as the lingering area of stormy weather brings more rounds of rain during the day after a slight lull overnight. An additional 1 to 4 inches of rain is possible through Friday along the coast, with the NWS warning of isolated pockets of up to 8 inches in areas caught under multiple rounds of heavy storms. Flood-prone town under threat again Heavy storms could trigger flash flooding Friday across parts of the Southwest, Rockies and Nevada, especially over wildfire burn scars and flood-prone canyon or valley areas. The Chiricahua Mountains in Arizona and the flood-weary town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, are among the areas under a Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rain. Ruidoso was the site of deadly flooding last week that killed three people, including two children. The town dealt with another round of dangerous flooding on Thursday after nearly an inch of rain fell during afternoon thunderstorms. Authorities conducted three swift water rescues Thursday: One of the people rescued was trapped in a trailer near Ruidoso, while another was taken to safety from nearby Ruidoso Downs, according to CNN affiliate KOAT. All three were unharmed. No deaths have been reported as of early Friday, CNN affiliate KFOX said. Any quick burst of rain Friday can almost instantly cause issues for the area given the recent rainfall and how damaged the ground still is after its 2024 wildfires. Burned ground cannot properly absorb water, which creates immediate runoff.
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Heavy rain threatens flash flooding for millions across much of the US
StormsFacebookTweetLink Follow Tens of millions of people are at risk of dangerous flash floods in pockets of nearly every region of the contiguous United States Friday, as the nation's summer of flooding continues. As summer heat starts to peak, July has seen the exact conditions needed for flooding rain. An abundance of incredibly moist, humid air is fueling a majority of Friday's flood risk, giving storms the potential to dump very heavy, overwhelming rain in a short period of time. Here's what to expect in the main areas at risk. A stalled storm front draped across more than half a dozen states from Oklahoma to Virginia could dump multiple rounds of rain and touch off significant flash flooding Friday. A Level 3 of 4 flooding rain threat is in place for parts of northern Virginia and northeastern West Virginia, with Level 2 of 4 risks covering portions of the Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and Midwest, according to the Weather Prediction Center. Many places in these risk areas could see an inch or two of rain – especially from the afternoon on – but some could record more, which is a concerning possibility given how wet the ground already is in some areas. The Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley have been hit by round after round of soaking rain this summer, leaving the soil less able to absorb additional rain and area waterways swollen. The West Virginia-Virginia border area has been hit particularly hard this summer and the National Weather Service is highlighting the potential for very heavy rain on Friday that could dump upwards of 5 inches there in a short time. If that happens, it would equate to a 1-in-100 year rainfall event. 'These extreme amounts won't be widespread and might not occur, but the potential is definitely there for worst-case scenario flash flooding,' the NWS warned. Petersburg, Virginia - just south of Richmond – has also been dealing with severe flooding in recent days and could get more soaking rain Friday. The city was under a flash flood emergency, the most severe flood warning, on Monday night as floodwater rose quickly. Slow-moving, heavy storms are also expected Friday afternoon in the Midwest before some severe thunderstorms potentially develop and keep storms from loitering around. Heavy rain broke daily rainfall records in parts of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas and Missouri on Thursday. Drenching storms dumped up to 9 inches of rain and prompted early morning flash flooding along the Kansas-Missouri border, including the Kansas City metro area, Thursday. A separate round of storms late Thursday night in Arkansas flooded roads and triggered multiple water rescues. Overwhelming rainfall is becoming more prevalent due to climate change, as rising global temperatures drive weather toward extremes. Hourly rainfall rates have grown heavier in nearly 90% of large US cities since 1970, according to a study from the nonprofit research group Climate Central. Storms have dropped several inches of rain in southern Louisiana since Wednesday night even as a would-be tropical threat wasn't able to get its act together. So far, the heaviest – up to 12 inches – has mainly fallen over wetlands in the south-central part of the state that are able to absorb excess rain. A Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rain is place Friday from the Florida Panhandle to eastern Texas as the lingering area of stormy weather brings more rounds of rain during the day after a slight lull overnight. An additional 1 to 4 inches of rain is possible through Friday along the coast, with the NWS warning of isolated pockets of up to 8 inches in areas caught under multiple rounds of heavy storms. Heavy storms could trigger flash flooding Friday across parts of the Southwest, Rockies and Nevada, especially over wildfire burn scars and flood-prone canyon or valley areas. The Chiricahua Mountains in Arizona and the flood-weary town of Ruidoso, New Mexico, are among the areas under a Level 2 of 4 risk of flooding rain. Ruidoso was the site of deadly flooding last week that killed three people, including two children. The town dealt with another round of dangerous flooding on Thursday after nearly an inch of rain fell during afternoon thunderstorms. Authorities conducted three swift water rescues Thursday: One of the people rescued was trapped in a trailer near Ruidoso, while another was taken to safety from nearby Ruidoso Downs, according to CNN affiliate KOAT. All three were unharmed. No deaths have been reported as of early Friday, CNN affiliate KFOX said. Any quick burst of rain Friday can almost instantly cause issues for the area given the recent rainfall and how damaged the ground still is after its 2024 wildfires. Burned ground cannot properly absorb water, which creates immediate runoff.
