ICYMI: The 2022 hurricane season special aired on the AccuWeather TV network. Watch it here. Chevron right

Ashburn, VA

68° F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Ashburn

Virginia

68°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Ashburn, VA Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Video

Podcasts

Winter Center

News & Features AccuWeather Prime Astronomy Business Climate Health Recreation Sports Travel

News / AccuWeather Ready

How to stay safe during a flash flood

By Staff, AccuWeather

Copied

Flash floods are very dangerous and can strike with little to no warning. Here are just a few of the ways they are caused and what areas are most at risk.

According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, more people die annually as a result of flooding than from hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning. Although flash floods are a specific type of issue, they still represent a significant number of casualties each year. Flash floods typically occur during periods of rapid rain in areas with dry or saturated soil or ground that doesn't absorb moisture sufficiently. Other natural phenomena, such as tropical storms and hurricanes, can also be the culprit. Let's take a look at some of the most important do's and don'ts to help people cope better with a flash flood.

Photo by Cristina Gottardi

Cristina Gottardi

What To Do

Prepare beforehand

Once a flash flood hits, it's too late to make concrete plans. Instead, it's advisable to prepare an emergency plan beforehand. This is especially important for those who live in a coastal area, one that receives a lot of rainfall, or one in a designated flood zone. Emergency flash flood plans should include an escape route via roads that are least likely to flood, making it to higher ground, and packing essentials like batteries, communications devices, and food.

Know when to stay put

While evacuation might sound like an ideal escape plan, there are times when it's more dangerous to try to make it through flooded areas than it is to stay put. If the areas surrounding your home are already flooded, it might be too late to evacuate. Instead, you should find a safe, high point, and call emergency services.

Follow emergency evacuation orders

If you're listening to local news reports and updates, there should be specific evacuation orders for your area. When a flash flood occurs, it's important to follow these recommendations to stay safe. While you should always make sure the suggestions aren't going to place you in jeopardy, they're typically made by people who know what they're talking about. Regardless, you should acknowledge the severity of the situation at this point.

Stay informed with Severe Weather Alerts delivered to your smartphone.

AccuWeather

Keep an eye on local weather forecasts

Flash floods carry that name for a reason. Whether caused by excess rainfall or tropical storms, these natural disasters can happen rather quickly. Keeping an eye on local weather reports is one of the most important things you can do in this situation. Whether listening to the radio or monitoring changes on an app on your mobile device, this information can help you determine what the conditions are like outside.

What Not To Do

Ignore a flash flood watch

The terminology surrounding natural disasters can be unnecessarily complicated. When it comes to flash floods, a warning is more severe than a watch. If you come across a Flash Flood Watch for your area, it's time to take action. Don't make the mistake of waiting until the situation becomes even more dangerous and switches to a Flash Flood Warning. Rising water levels can cover roads and entire neighborhoods rather quickly.

A car sinks in floodwaters deluging Winnie, Texas, on Thursday, September 19, 2019, as Imelda drenched some parts of southeastern Texas with nearly 3 feet of rain. (Twitter / Steve Campion)

(Twitter / Steve Campion)

Walk or drive in flooded areas

A lot of the deaths claimed by flash floods are due to people driving their vehicles through areas with high water. People tend to misjudge how deep the water is and the ability of their vehicle to wade through the depth. Not only is this a guaranteed way to damage or destroy a vehicle, but it can also unnecessarily put the driver's life in jeopardy. As a general rule of thumb, the 'Turn around, don't drown' phrase is important to remember.   

Walking around flooded areas is another potential hazard for the same reasons. It's tough to judge depth and currents accurately.

Underestimate the strength of moving water

Another major issue to avoid during a flash flood is underestimating the power of moving water. For some reason, people tend to think that floods are less dangerous than they are. Water doesn't have to be at chest-height to be an issue. Even shallow moving water can pose a risk. For example, only 2-feet of moving water can carry off a majority of vehicles of SUV-size or smaller. The height of water needed to carry away a person who's walking is significantly less. Going into a flash flood knowing the power and strength of the water can make it easier to make clear and educated decisions.

Related:

Five winter weather hazards that you need to be aware of
Top winter hazards to be aware of when driving
Tips for biking in the rain
What do these weather terms mean?
Tips for taking pictures when it's raining
What to do after an earthquake
Report a Typo

Weather News

Hurricane

Watch the AccuWeather TV network's 2022 hurricane season special

May 25, 2022
Severe Weather

Severe weather from huge storm to grind eastward into Friday

May 26, 2022
Hurricane

AccuWeather forecasters watching out for 1st named storm of season

May 26, 2022
Weather News

Tiny kitten rescued from behind lines of state's worst-ever wildfire

May 26, 2022
Severe Weather

'Very scary sight to see' as massive tornado spins across open field

May 25, 2022
Severe Weather

Deadly derecho hit half of Canada's population, spawned EF2 tornado

May 25, 2022
Weather News

Jumping worms, the evil twin of earthworms, showing up in California

May 24, 2022
Weather Forecasts

'Atmospheric teeter-totter' to bring big changes to central US

May 26, 2022
Weather Forecasts

AccuWeather's 2022 Canada summer forecast

May 24, 2022
video

Floating cities becoming a reality to circumvent sea-level rise

May 25, 2022
Health

Monkeypox fast facts: What you need to know

May 23, 2022
Recreation

16 spring essentials that you shouldn't do without

Feb. 4, 2021
Health

Collars and chewables to keep your pup free of ticks and fleas

Apr. 28, 2022
Show More Show Less Chevron down

Topics

News & Features

AccuWeather Prime

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Memorial Day weekend to start wet and dreary, but then hello, sunshine...

1 hour ago

Astronomy

Planets to converge during pre-dawn phenomenon

23 hours ago

Weather News

NASA satellite captures images of 'Sharkcano' eruption

20 hours ago

Tornado leaves devastating path of damage

4 days ago 0:53

Podcast: Wildfires, droughts, energy shortages: a long hot summer ahea...

More Stories

Featured Topic

Local Arthritis Forecast

Featured Stories

It's been 75 years since the first named hurricane struck US soil Comfy mattresses you can pick up on sale this Memorial Day Coolers that'll help you beat the extreme summer heat
AccuWeather AccuWeather Ready How to stay safe during a flash flood
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Weather Blogs Winter Weather
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs Podcast RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Shop AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Weather Blogs Winter Weather
© 2021 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | TAG Disclosure | Do Not Sell My Data checkmark Confirmed Not Selling Your Data

We have updated our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

I Understand

Get AccuWeather alerts as they happen with our browser notifications.

Notifications Enabled

Thanks! We’ll keep you informed.

FEEDBACK