# Presentation: 492937

## INLAND FLOODING 

*Where America’s climate and weather services begin*

**INLAND FLOODING **
**(****FROM TROPICAL CYCLONES)**** : **
**DEFINING THE PROBLEM**
**ED RAPPAPORT**
**TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER**
**FOR**
**NWS NATIONAL FLASH FLOOD CONFERENCE 2000 ATLANTA, GA**
**10 MAY 2000**

***“******INUNDATION DUE TO STORM SURGE AND THE BATTERING OF WAVES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 90% OF THE LIVES LOST NEAR THE COAST...”***
**Policy statement of the American Meteorological Society on hurricanes**
**October 20, 1972**
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## Slide 7

## DEADLIEST 1970-99 U.S. 

**TROPICAL CYCLONES**

_**RANK**__**	**__**	**__**NAME**__**	**__**	**__**MO/YR**__**	**__**TOT./FLOOD**_**    **_**SSHS**_
_**	**__**	**__**	**__**	**__**	**__**	**_
**   ****1****	****	****AGNES****	****JUNE 1972****	****    125/114****	****         1**
**   ****2****	****	****FLOYD****	****SEP.  1999            56/50****	****         2**
**   ****3****	****	****ALBERTO****	****JULY 1994            34/33****	****       TS**
**   ****4****	****	****AMELIA****	****JUNE 1978****	****         33/33****	****       TS**

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## AT LEAST 23% OF TROPICAL CYCLONE DEATHS OCCURRED TO PEOPLE WHO DROWNED IN, OR 

- Fort Washington, PA

- Times Herald

**AT LEAST 23% OF TROPICAL CYCLONE DEATHS OCCURRED TO PEOPLE WHO DROWNED IN, OR **
**ATTEMPTING TO ABANDON, THEIR VEHICLES.**

- Floyd (1999) (57%)

- Times Herald

- Fort Washington, PA

**Notes:**
File Name: floodpa.jpg
Credit: Gene Walsh, Times Herald
Where:  Firefighters pull out unknown person from car in Fort Washington, PA.

## 78% OF CHILDREN KILLED BY TROPICAL CYCLONES

- Cornell Media Technology Services

**78% OF CHILDREN KILLED BY TROPICAL CYCLONES**
**DROWNED IN FRESHWATER FLOODS.**

- Agnes (1972)

## U.S. TROPICAL CYCLONE DEATHS

- Adopted Actions*

**1. CHANGE HPC ADVISORY FREQUENCY AFTER LANDFALL FROM 12-HOURLY TO 6-HOURLY.**
**2. NWS HURRICANE HOTLINE COORDINATION CALLS TO **
**CONTINUE FOR INLAND SYSTEMS UNTIL FLOOD THREAT ENDS.**
**3. ADD NWS RIVER FORECAST CENTERS AND FIRST-TIER INLAND WFO’S TO HURRICANE HOTLINE.**
**4. COORDINATE ADDITIONAL EFFORTS/PARTNERSHIPS TO REDUCE INLAND FLOOD THREAT**

- * 1998 NOAA Hurricane Conference Agreements

## 2000 Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference

-  Base requirements on meeting the customer needs
-  Increase awareness, education and training
-  Improve precipitation forecasts
-  Identify and map (re-map) high risk zones
-  Identify vulnerable groups; Focus on vehicle related deaths
-  Improve warning messages
-  Define terminology used in flood products
-  Establish media library
-  Develop/improve and exercise EOPs, contingency plans
-  Link NWS flood forecasts with NFIP elevations; Clarify datum use
-  Use technology wisely

- Flood Workshop Recommendations*

- *Abridged--- Courtesy of Glenn Austin

## SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL CHALLENGES

**Require accurate guidance covering:**
**Storm track**
**Storm forward speed**
**Storm size**
**Storm structure**
**Environmental interactions**
**Topography**
**Pre-existing soil conditions**
**Other...**

**USWRP foci: Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting; Hurricane Landfall; Data Assimilation**

## PROGRAMMATIC QUESTIONS

**1. CAN STORM SURGE SUCCESSES BE APPLIED TO THE FRESHWATER FLOOD PROBLEM?**
**	****-CULTIVATE MEDIA COLLABORATON**
**	****-BIG EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAM**
**	****-FOCUSED SCIENTIFIC EFFORT**
**2. WHAT NEW METHODS ARE REQUIRED?**
- 	**-CHAMPIONED PSA’S (e.g., NC E.M.)**
**	****-PRODUCTS (e.g., SERFC, HPC)**
**	****-...**
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