(KNSI) – Severe Weather Awareness Week hits the halfway point with a focus on flooding.
Meteorologist Melissa Dye says that once you get past the threat from spring snowmelt, it’s flash flooding and the effect on urban roads where most of the danger exists. She recommends turning around when you come across a waterlogged street, especially at night. It takes a relatively small amount of water to displace a person or even a vehicle. “It only takes six inches of rain to sweep away a full-size adult. Even if you think you’ve got a big heavy truck, a foot or two of water could easily sweep it away.”
In the dark, it becomes almost impossible to tell the difference between a puddle and a deep pool, making every crossing a hazard.
Heavy summer rains hit some streets worse than others. Local officials say it has been a priority to label problem spots and push motorists to find alternate routes in rainy conditions. Stearns County Emergency Manager Erin Hughes uses downtown St. Cloud as an example.
“One that continues to be an issue in the city of St. Cloud is in the downtown area where Ninth Avenue goes under Division Street. Over the course of the last couple of years, we have posted signs to help advise people that if it’s raining, they should stay away from that area.”
Hughes warns that flash flooding may be worse than normal in 2025 due to the persistent drought of the past few years. Dry soil doesn’t absorb the shock of a downpour well, leaving a rapid runoff as the only option for the water.
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