After a period of drier conditions, rain is finally in the forecast. With this though, there comes a chance for flash flooding. Whether you live in higher terrain, or a more urban area, there are different flood threats to be aware of.
Colorado is no stranger to wildfires, and can cause destruction even when the fire has been put out. Heavy rain over burn scars are more prone to flash flooding and mudslides. Rain will gather underneath the burnt top layer of the soil. The soil underneath this is hydrophobic, which means it repels water. When this happens, the top burnt layer can move more freely. People who are most at risk near these burn scars are usually downhill from them
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Another type of flooding that we can see is more urbanized flooding. This usually occurs near creeks, rivers, and lower lying areas. Anyone with backyards that run up against creeks are most at risk of seeing flooding.
Depending on rainfall amounts, flash floods can occur within minutes to several hours. It's important to stay weather aware with floods even if it seems like a common occurrence. Flash floods cause the most amount of damage and deaths than any other severe storm impact.
If you happen to be in your vehicle and you come across deeper water on the road, you never want to cross it. You never know how deep the water actually is, and it can damage your vehicle. Many deaths related to flooding occur when people try to drive through flood waters. Even larger, lifted vehicles can be swept away in flood waters. When in doubt, turn around, don't drown.
When placed in a flash flood watch, there are conditions in the forecast that are favorable to see flash flooding. It is good to have a plan in place ahead of time if flooding occurs. When placed in a flash flood warning, this means that a flash flood is likely to happen or is already occurring. Flash floods can happen outside of these warnings, so it's good to keep an eye on the current conditions.
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