Hobbies And Interests
Bodies of Water
Follow the body of water closest to your area, monitoring it over several days if you have had a lot of storms. Watch for drastic changes in the water levels. These changes can indicate that a flood is imminent. Although many areas have dams and diversions that will protect against floods, many do not.
Monitoring the Sky
If the sky is changing quickly right before your eyes, don't waste time. Listen for community sirens that signal a storm is coming. If you hear sirens, park your car at the nearest established business on higher ground and go inside immediately. Quick thinking and fast actions can keep you and your family out of harm's way.
News Reports
Turn on the news as part of your daily routine and watch the weather report. If heavy storms are expected, make note of it by planning a safer route. Sometimes flash flood storms give us no warning, so when you notice a sudden storm forming while you are on a bridge or driving through a vulnerable area, turn on the car radio and exit the bridge immediately. Memorize what channel to turn to quickly to get information about sudden weather changes. Often switching to AM radio is helpful as and has more informational stations then the FM stations.
Weather Warnings
The National Weather Service might issue a warning or a watch. Both a warning and a watch are important to take seriously, but understanding the difference between the two is critical for your safety. A watch is issued when the conditions of the weather are favorable for a storm to occur, in other words, it's still forming, so beware. A warning is a storm that is happening or about to happen in the next few minutes. If that is the case, avoid flood waters and go to higher ground immediately. Most importantly, Never attempt to walk, swim or drive through flood waters. In just as little as 2 feet of water, a car can be washed away in seconds. The force of the flood waters is much stronger than it initially seems, and that is why so many people and cars are swept away.