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Despite
its generally dry climate, Colorado
does get its share of floods.
In May and June, our mountain
snow melts, draining into streams
and reservoirs. Problems arise
when exceptionally warm days
melt too much snow too quickly.
The situation gets worse if
a heavy rain adds more water
to rivers already at capacity.
Mountain towns bear the brunt
of most flooding from snowmelt.
During
July and August, flash floods
become a major weather hazard.
Slow-moving thunderstorms can
dump several inches of rain
over a small area in a few hours,
quickly saturating the ground.
In steep mountain terrain, the
runoff pours into streams and
rivers, causing water levels
to rise rapidly.
Flash
floods are responsible for most
flood deaths, and nearly half
of those fatalities are auto
relatedsuch as when people
unwittingly try to drive through
flood waters. It only takes
two feet of water to carry away
most automobiles, and six inches
of fast-moving water can knock
you off your feet. Thats
why, in a flash flood, its
best to leave your car, get
away from the water, and climb
to safety.
Featured
Link:
Colorados
Deadliest Flood
On July 30, 1976, a flash flood
claimed the lives of 139 people
when a wall of water rushed
down Big Thompson Canyon. To
get an in-depth account of the
weather events that created
the flood, check out this site
from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
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Photo
credits: © Corbis Images,
© NCAR, © NOAA, courtesy
NEWS4, Colorado's news channel.
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