Flash flood watch

A flash flood watch (SAME code: FFA; also referred as a "green box" by meteorologists) is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for flash flooding in flood-prone areas, usually when grounds are already saturated from recent rains, or when upcoming rains will have the potential to cause a flash flood. These watches are also occasionally issued when a dam may break in the near future.

Countries such as Australia also issue similarly worded warnings.[1]

Example Flash Flood Watch

421 
WGUS61 KCLE 230740
FFACLE

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CLEVELAND OH
340 AM EDT SAT JUL 23 2011

OHZ003-006>013-017>023-027>033-036>038-047-231545-
/O.NEW.KCLE.FF.A.0002.110723T0800Z-110724T1000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
LUCAS-WOOD-OTTAWA-SANDUSKY-ERIE OH-LORAIN-CUYAHOGA-LAKE-GEAUGA-
HANCOCK-SENECA-HURON-MEDINA-SUMMIT-PORTAGE-TRUMBULL-WYANDOT-
CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-ASHLAND-WAYNE-STARK-MAHONING-MARION-MORROW-
HOLMES-KNOX-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TOLEDO...BOWLING GREEN...PORT CLINTON...
FREMONT...SANDUSKY...LORAIN...CLEVELAND...MENTOR...CHARDON...
FINDLAY...TIFFIN...NORWALK...MEDINA...AKRON...RAVENNA...WARREN...
UPPER SANDUSKY...CAREY...BUCYRUS...MANSFIELD...ASHLAND...
WOOSTER...CANTON...YOUNGSTOWN...MARION...MOUNT GILEAD...
MILLERSBURG...MOUNT VERNON
340 AM EDT SAT JUL 23 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CLEVELAND HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO... 
  NORTHEAST OHIO AND NORTHWEST OHIO...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING 
  AREAS...IN NORTH CENTRAL OHIO...ASHLAND...CRAWFORD...ERIE OH...
   HURON...KNOX...LORAIN...MARION...MORROW AND RICHLAND. IN 
  NORTHEAST OHIO...CUYAHOGA...GEAUGA...HOLMES...LAKE... 
  MAHONING...MEDINA...PORTAGE...STARK...SUMMIT...TRUMBULL AND 
  WAYNE. IN NORTHWEST OHIO...HANCOCK...LUCAS...OTTAWA... 
  SANDUSKY...SENECA...WOOD AND WYANDOT. 

* THROUGH LATE TONIGHT

* SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND SOME OF THE
  THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE HEAVY RAIN. RECENT RAINS HAVE MADE THE
  GROUND WET...AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL BRING THE
  POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. 

* THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE FOR REPEAT THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT.
  AREAS THAT GET MULTIPLE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE AT RISK FOR
  FLOODING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THE THREAT OF FLASH FLOODING EXISTS
ALONG RIVERS AND CREEKS AND LOW LYING AREAS. IF YOU ARE IN THE
WATCH AREA YOU SHOULD MONITOR WEATHER CONDITIONS CLOSELY. BE READY
TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS
ISSUED. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER UPDATES.

&&

$$

PDS watches

In the event that a flash flood watch is likely to lead to a major flash flood disaster, enhanced wording with the words This is a particularly dangerous situation (PDS) can be added to the watch; this is occasionally issued.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Flood Warning Services". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
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