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A flash flood (also a freshet, considered archaic) is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas, rivers and streams that is caused by the intense rainfall associated with a thunderstorm, or multiple training thunderstorms. Flash flooding occurs when the ground under a storm becomes saturated with water so quickly that it cannot be absorbed. The runoff collects in low-lying areas and flows rapidly downhill. As a result, anything in its path is suddenly in rising water. These most often occur in dry areas that have recently received precipitation, but the flash flood can flow for a long distance as long as there is a path downhill. In language, an archaism is the deliberate use of an older form that has fallen out of current use. ...
A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ...
For the Second World War frigate class, see River class frigate The Murray River in Australia A waterfall on the Ova da Fedoz, Switzerland A river is a large natural waterway. ...
The primary meaning of stream is a body of water, confined within a bed and banks and having a detectable current. ...
Rain falling Rain on an umbrella Rain is a form of precipitation, as are snow, sleet, hail, and dew. ...
A rolling thundercloud over Enschede, The Netherlands. ...
The term saturation generally means thoroughly full, and can refer to the following: In chemistry, see saturation (chemistry) for a number of meanings. ...
A falling water droplet Water (from the Anglo-Saxon and Low German wæter) is a colourless, tasteless, and odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is the most universal solvent. ...
Absorption has a number of meanings: In physics absorption is a process in which particles of some sort encounter another material and are taken up by or even disappear in it. ...
Run-off, composed of a mixture of water and soil along with any other organic or inorganic substances that may exist in the land, is the product of precipitation, snowmelt, or other water coming in contact with the earth and carrying matter to streams, rivers, lakes, and other surface water...
In meteorology, precipitation is any kind of water that falls from the sky as part of the weather. ...
Flash floods can also be caused by other influences. Ice jams can block the normal course of a river, leading to flooding. In addition, dam breaks have been known to cause flash flood conditions. The Johnstown, Pennsylvania dam break of 1889 is an example of a devastating flash flood. Scrivener Dam, Canberra Australia, was engineered to withstand a once-in-5000-years flood event A dam (a common Teutonic word, compare to Dutch dam, Swedish and German damm, and the Gothic verb faurdammjan, to block up) is a barrier across flowing water that obstructs, directs or retards the flow...
Johnstown is a city located in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. ...
The U.S. National Weather Service gives the advice "Turn Around Don't Drown" regarding flash floods; that is, it recommends that people get out of the area of a flash flood, rather than trying to cross it, even if they think that the water looks easy to cross. This is because people in general underestimate the dangers of flash floods. Flash floods are extremely dangerous because of their sudden nature. Being in a vehicle does not provide protection against being swept away; it can actually make people more overconfident and less likely to avoid the flash flood; more than half of the fatalities attributed to flash floods are of people swept away in vehicles when trying to cross flooded intersections [1] ( http://www.nws.noaa.gov). More people die yearly in floods (127 on average) than by lightning (73), tornadoes (65), or hurricanes (16). The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce. ...
For alternate meanings, see Lightning (disambiguation). ...
A tornado. ...
This article is about weather phenomena. ...
See also
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