Flash floods carry thousands of tons of force. Here's what makes them so destructive. AccuWeather's Leslie Hudson has more.

Texas

Flash floods are among the most dangerous natural disasters, capable of transforming a few inches of rain into deadly torrents within minutes. In Central Texas, an area known as Flash Flood Alley, over 10 inches of rain caused the Guadalupe River to surge dramatically, illustrating the immense power and speed of these events. Hydrologists note that flash floods not only bring massive volumes of water but also carry debris, vehicles, and even houses, amplifying their destructive impact.

Unlike tornadoes, which pass quickly, flash floods can persist for hours, exerting more pressure than even the strongest tornadoes. Experts warn that changing weather patterns and rising temperatures are making such severe events more frequent and dangerous, emphasizing the need for heightened preparedness and emergency response.

The violent force of flash flooding

Water's power can be deceptive. A few inches of rain can escalate into a deadly flash flood in minutes. In Central Texas, the 275 mile stretch known as Flash Flood Alley is among the most dangerous in the US on July 4th. Over 10 inches of relentless rain pounded the Texas Hill Country, sending the Guadalupe River surging 26 feet in under an hour. Hydrologist Gregory Waller says a number of factors combined to create this flash flood disaster. This wasn't just meteorology and hydrology. This was a convergence of all the bad things to make this a catastrophe. Flash floods don't just hit hard, they last while tornadoes pass in minutes. Flash floods can wreak havoc for hours with the extreme volume and force of the water and more. We had 150,000 of these cubic feet going through, so you could equate it like a column of 18 wheelers of mass coming down that river system, knocking everything out. The other issue is it's not necessarily the water. It's what is the water also bringing with it? It picks up debris. It picks up a log which becomes a medieval battery ramp. It picks up, you know, a car, a vehicle, a house that creates more surface area and more debris. The Lake Bay River pushed over 4200 tons of water per second. Just a few feet of fast moving water can unleash more pressure than an EF5 tornado. They're both catastrophic, even though the damage looks similar. You know a tornado is 100 plus miles an hour, 200 plus mile an hour winds, but only for a few minutes. You know, we're talking about a volume of water that even in a fast responding river system, it's 2 to 3 hours to go up 2 to 3 wind has mass and moving. It's picking up debris, but water has a lot. Waller says warmer temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns are making severe weather events more frequent and more dangerous when we use the term emergency. This is a level that you may have to do more than the normal safety protocols in order to survive. We're talking catastrophic damage at this point and it requires another level of preparedness and reaction for Accuweather. I'm Leslie Hudson reporting.

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