GREENSBORO, N.C. — Flooding is a coast-to-coast threat to some part of the United States and its territories nearly every day of the year. With Tropical Storm Debby headed to the Carolinas, there is a possibility of flooding rain in the Triad.
So, what is the difference between a Flood Watch and a Flood Warning?
The National Weather Service says a Flood Watch is a issued when conditions are favorable for a specific hazardous weather event to happen. It does not mean flooding will actually happen, but it is possible.
A Flood Warning means take action! It's issued when the hazardous weather event it imminent or already happening.
What is flooding?
Flooding typically occurs when prolonged rain falls over several days, intense rain falls over a short period, or when an ice or debris jam causes a river or stream to overflow onto the surrounding area.
Flooding can also result from the failure of a water control structure, such as a levee or dam. The most common cause of flooding is water due to rain and/or snowmelt that accumulates faster than soils can absorb it or rivers can carry it away.
Approximately seventy-five percent of all Presidential disaster declarations are associated with flooding. Below are the most common flood hazards to impact the United States.
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