Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Albany, NY

Home | Current Version | Previous Version | Graphics & Text | Print | Product List | Glossary On
Versions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37
000
NOUS41 KALY 131200
PNSALY

Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Albany, NY
800 AM EDT Wed Mar 13 2024

The National Weather Service (NWS) Albany, NY has declared March 11
through March 15 as Flood Safety Awareness Week. Each day during
the awareness week will feature information about a different flood
related topic. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter / X for safety and
preparedness messages throughout the week. Be a force multiplier
and share our social media information with your friends and family!

https://www.facebook.com/NWSAlbany

https://twitter.com/NWSAlbany

Here in the Northeast, flooding can happen any time of the year
with a number of different causes. Flooding can occur with
prolonged rainfall over several days, intense rainfall over a short
period of time, or when water from an existing source is quickly
released, for example rapid snowmelt or a dam or levee break.

Storms can bring heavy precipitation to our area any time of year
and result in flooding. Tropical systems and noreasters can
bring the added threat of storm surge related coastal flooding.
Thunderstorms can bring short duration very heavy rainfall and
result in flash flooding.  Antecedent conditions, if we have been
wet or dry, play a large role if flooding occurs and the severity
of the flooding.

Flooding due to snowmelt most often occurs in the spring when
warming temperatures quickly melt the snow. The water runs off
frozen or already saturated ground into nearby streams and rivers,
causing them to rise rapidly. Additionally, winter and spring bring
the threat of ice jam flooding - when river ice breaks up, moves
and then is stopped by a bridge or bend in the river, this is
called an ice jam. Water can back up behind the ice jam, causing
flooding, and when the ice jam eventually releases, a wave of water
and ice may also cause flash flooding downstream.

More information about these and other flood hazards in your state
can be found on the NWS flood safety website at
https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-map.

$$


USA.gov is the U.S. government's official web portal to all federal, state and local government web resources and services.