Spring flooding means water over roads
Every year Missouri sees a plethora of showers and storms spanning from late March through June. Just as recently as 2021, we saw the second wettest recorded June with the total for the month reaching 10.85 inches.
With increases in rainfall expected in the upcoming months, flooding becomes one of the most important issues when dealing with weather.
It takes a lot less water than most people think to wreak havoc. Just 6" of water is enough to sweep a fully grown person away in moving waters. When you double this amount to a complete foot, mid-sized to smaller cars and SUV's can be swept away with moving currents. At 18" of water, large vehicles such as trucks can be pulled away also. Make sure if you see pooling or moving water over roadways you follow the simple model, "Turn around, don't drown." Make sure to find an alternate route to avoid any possible dangerous conditions.
It is very important to know the differences in flash flood watches and warnings. First, you must understand what a flash flood is. According to the National Weather Service a flash flood is defined as, "A flood caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hours." These events are very dangerous because the track of the storms that can produce these conditions isn't always clear. Thankfully a flash flood watch helps as a preventative measure. A watch means conditions are favorable to possibly produce flash floods. Whenever a warning is issued, that means flash floods are currently occurring and you should be taking steps to put yourself away from any possible dangerous.
When it comes to driving, the laws of physics are constantly at play. One of the most important factors of driving comes from traction derived from friction. During dry conditions, the coefficient of friction is larger. During rainy days, there is less friction and the buoyancy from the tires contributes to less traction and friction. This means slower speeds are required to maintain proper control of a vehicle.
