4. Forecast Applications

Convection » Heavy Precip./Flash Floods Forecasting Heavy Precipitation and Flash Floods

Doe River hydrograph showing a flash flood 7-8 January 1998

Flash floods are the most deadly of thunderstorm hazards in the United States. While several definitions of flash floods exist, in this module a flash flood refers to heavy precipitation that causes rapid rise of water in creeks or small rivers and in which fast moving run-off overwhelms the drainage system.