The skies opened up over North Texas this weekend, unleashing a deluge that prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) in Fort Worth to issue a flurry of flood advisories and warnings for the region. The flood advisory, updated Sunday morning, targets areas prone to urban and small stream flooding, naming Ellis, Hill, and Johnson counties as particularly at risk, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Excessive rainfall is identified as the culprit behind expectations of "minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas." The NWS cautions that most flood deaths occur in vehicles hence the mantra, "Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads." NWS Fort Worth meteorologist Matt Bishop pointed out, that the risk is exacerbated by the high level of development and concrete in urban locales such as Dallas and Fort Worth, which can contribute to flash flooding, as per The Dallas Morning News.
In light of these conditions, NWS has released a series of practical tips to help residents and travelers stay safe during the flood. They insist on immediate evacuation if directed to do so, and recommend that individuals avoid entering floodwaters due to the potential for unseen hazards, including electrical currents from submerged power lines.
The advice couldn't be timelier, as a "slow-moving" storm system that crawled eastward Wednesday through North Texas was responsible for heavy rains, with a flash flood warning being issued for parts of the region later in the evening. This weather episode brought not just flood watches, but also a litany of travel woes for the region with flood watches extending to Dallas, Collin, Denton, and Tarrant counties until early Thursday morning, Bishop told Dallas News.
Furthermore, as residents navigate the treacherous roads, NWS underscores the importance of avoiding hydroplaning by reducing speed, steering into a skid to regain control, and ensuring tires are adequately treaded. With roads especially susceptible to becoming inundated, safety on the streets is of paramount concern, and all are advised to adhere strictly to these flood safety guidelines.
