Local weather forecast by
"City, St" or zip code |
Search by city or zip code. Press enter or select the go button to submit request
|
|
|
To NWS Birmingham Home Page
|
Flood Safety Awareness Week
March 17-21, 2008
|
|
These are just a couple of images from recent years where parts of central Alabama received flooding. The picture on the left is from Vestavia (Jefferson County)
on July 14, 2005. The picture on the right is along Catoma Creek (Montgomery County) on March 28, 2005. |
|
National Weather Service offices throughout the United States are conducting a Flood Safety Awareness Week from March 17 through 21, 2008. Flooding is the #2 weather killer in the United States, ahead of tornadoes and severe weather, and is the costliest weather-related disaster we face, with $4.3 billion in property damage annually. While much of the focus remains on thunderstorms and tornadoes, flooding can often be an underrated killer.
Yes it can happen here. Here are some recent events to jog your memory.
- Hurricane Ivan, September 2004: The remnants of Hurricane Ivan drenched the area in mid-September 2004, dumping as much as 11 inches of rain in just 24 hours across central Alabama.
- May 2003: A record flooding event occurred in early May 2003, and it's one that people around the area still remember. The north and northeast sections of Metro Birmingham were hit especially hard, as several waves of thunderstorms dumped as much as 11 inches of rain on the area in only a few hours.
Each day during Flood Safety Awareness Week will be devoted to a different topic:
| Flood Awareness
Week Schedule |
Monday
March 17 |
AHPS
(Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service)
We'll feature a section of our web page devoted to providing
enhanced and more detailed information to help you make
decisions when flood threats arise. (Check out
the central Alabama AHPS page here.) |
Tuesday
March 18 |
Turn
Around, Don't Drown!
Find out more about a campaign of the National Weather
Service intended to warn people of the hazards of walking
or driving a vehicle through flood waters. |
Wednesday
March 19 |
Flooding and Related Phenomena: Tropical
Cyclone Inland Flooding
Last year saw a number of tropical cyclones impact Alabama, but a lack of rainfall outside of these
systems prevented more widespread flooding. We aren't
always as lucky; Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 created
some significant flooding, and portions of Alabama were
hit by 20 to 25 inches of rainfall in 1994 by Tropical
Storm Alberto. |
Thursday
March 20 |
Determining
Flood Risk/Flood Insurance
Your homeowners insurance doesn't cover flood damage!
We'll devote Thursday to explaining the National Flood
Insurance Program, and help you find out if you might
be threatened. |
Friday
March 21 |
Flood
Safety
More people are killed in floods than any other natural
disaster except heat. Flash flooding is the number one
thunderstorm-related hazard. We'll cover ways to ensure
your survival during flooding. |
|
Related Links and Publications
Adapted from NWS Huntsville
|
|
www.weather.gov 
National Weather Service Forecast Office
Back to home page