Death toll rises in Texas with 173 still missing
Digest more
The mountain village of Ruidoso has returned to the grim rituals of rebuilding from flash flooding. Crews are working to clear twisted metal, broken trees and muddy debris from streets and homes days after monsoon rains triggered a deadly flash flood in southern New Mexico.
Back-to-back flooding disasters in recent years — in Texas, New Mexico and Kentucky, among many others — have showed that preparing for flash flooding is a new necessity as the planet warms.
With the recent deadly flash floods in Texas and New Mexico, it's important to remember that monsoon season has begun for the southwestern part of our country and flooding is one of the hazards that comes along with it.
A flash flood is a rapid rise of water along a stream or in a low-lying urban area, the National Weather Service said. Flash flooding can result from slow-moving thunderstorms, from numerous thunderstorms that develop repeatedly over the same area, or from heavy rains associated with tropical cyclones.
More than 111 people have died across six counties after flash flooding from heavy rain began affecting the state last week.
There are reports some cloud seeding occurred a few days before the Texas flash flood. But it’s important to understand that cloud seeding has a relatively short-term effect in that a certain cloud is seeded and perhaps turns into one individual rain cloud or even a thunderstorm. The increased rainfall would not last for days.
Rain came down fast and hard Wednesday night in Chicago, creating some hazardous situations not only for drivers, but for first responders who were busy rescuing people who were stuck in high waters.
At 9:54 p.m. on Wednesday, the NWS Raleigh NC issued a flash flood warning in effect until Thursday at 1 a.m. for Wake County.
Major I-95 cities -- Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia -- could be impacted as heavy downpours could bring 2-3 inches of rainfall per hour over already saturated soils, which could easily cause flash flooding.
A flash flood warning has been issued for Dallas and Kaufman counties until 9:45 p.m.A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of Tarrant County through 9 p.m. We've dealt with a couple of strong afternoon/evening thunderstorms across North Texas the last couple of days,