NSSL Video

Bite-Sized Science: Improving Flash Flood Warnings

Flash floods are rapid increases of water in streams and creeks, typically in response to intense rainfall events, that pose significant hazards to motorists, recreationalists, and infrastructure worldwide. The small space-time scales associated with flash floods have made it challenging to predict the precise locations of impending rainfall and resultant impacts.

Researchers at NSSL are revolutionizing the tools forecasters have at their fingertips. The Flooded Locations And Simulated Hydrographs Project— or FLASH—combines real-time rainfall estimates with real-time surface models. This produces new, important information about flooding.