Historic Floods Loom Large For 46 Million Americans as Meteorologist Warns of Incoming ‘Atmospheric River'
Information from different sources helps weather experts warn authorities of any impending danger. Forecasters, based on recent data, have cautioned officials and citizens that life-threatening weather is possibly going to hit the central U.S. soon, stated AccuWeather.
The forecast claims that four months' worth of rain will fall in many areas of the central U.S., which could cause major flooding. Experts believe this rain is going to come from a strong band of moisture. The band will allegedly go on to produce frequent thunderstorms accompanied by torrential downpours above the central U.S. in the early part of April. Considering the nature of the moisture band, forecasters believe more than a foot of rain will be pouring on places like Arkansas, Ohio, and Kentucky. This rain can cause a never-before-seen amount of flooding throughout these cities.
According to experts, around 46 million people would be impacted by the incoming intense rainfall. Amongst these 46 million people, 13 million are supposedly in the high-to-extreme flood risk zone. In the higher-risk areas, some communities could be facing catastrophic flooding. Forecasters noted that storm clouds have progressed steadily in the last few days, except for a few days in February. To date, the clouds have caused many inches of rain in certain regions of Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana, and Ohio. It has already facilitated major flooding and loss of life in many of those regions. Forecasters claim that the forthcoming rainfall due to these clouds will be double what was experienced in February, leading to unprecedented damage.
Experts claim that in the early part of April, the rainfall's west-to-east or northwest-to-southeast path will experience hindrance from a building zone of high pressure. This blockage will possibly happen over the Southeast states, which will eventually start acting like a heat dome. The heat dome will facilitate the formation of a conveyor belt of moisture, which will be active for three days. In these three days, the moisture will supposedly bring hours of heavy rain over multiple days. "That moisture plume, known as an atmospheric river, will be tropical in nature and originate from the Caribbean," AccuWeather Senior Storm Warning Meteorologist William Clark said. "Tropical moisture raises the risk of excessive rainfall." Experts think that this atmospheric river will have the intensity of three or four tropical storms, each carrying a huge amount of rain.
Experts claim that streams and drainage systems in urban areas are not capable of handling the consequences of this atmospheric river. This inability will lead to rapid flash flooding. "Should the amount of rain occur that we anticipate over the middle of the nation, it would exceed the 500 to 1,000-year average," Clark said. "Truly, the potential is there for a historic flash flooding event." A special warning has been issued for motorists who frequent the secondary roads in the heavy rain zone. Property owners have also been cautioned to be prepared for evacuation if the situation demands.