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<br />95 <br /> <br />prior to the significant flash flooding that occurred in Madison County, <br />conveyed the seriousness of the threat and virtually pinpointed the location <br />of the most devastating flooding through sound meteorological analysis, <br />backed up by the use of several data sources. The WSR-88D radar was key <br />to the location of maximum rainfall as well as providing useful information <br />from the V AD wind profile in showing the strengthening low-level flow. <br />IFLOWS automated rainfall data provided ground-truth rainfall amounts prior <br />to and during the flooding that helped calibrate the radar rainfall estimates. <br />The IFLOWS system was also used by local county and state officials in their <br />disaster assistance efforts. Skywarn reports from amateur radio operators <br />provided valuable additional rainfall reports. <br />Flash flood watches and warnings were issued for Madison County with <br />extensive lead time. The watch preceded the flooding by 14 hours. The <br />warning preceded the onset of flooding by two hours and the time of serious <br />flooding by five hours. Emphasizing the flood threat further, a flood potential <br />statement was issued that included a call-to-action statement for emergency <br />managers because significant flooding was possible. As the flash flooding <br />became more and more life-threatening, radio stations were called and asked <br />to activate EBS. and continuous contact was made with emergency service <br /> <br />Summer <br /> <br />personnel <br /> <br />River flood warnings and follow-up statements were routinely issued for <br />the Rapidan and Rappahannock rivers. There was excellent coordination <br />between the WSFO staff and the RFC staff in providing accurate river <br />forecasts. The Hydrometeorological Analysis and Support (HAS) function at <br />the RFC coordinated with the WSFO to input four inches of forecast rainfall <br />(QPF) into the hydrological models. This was translated into timely warnings <br />of major flooding on these river basins <br /> <br />January 1996 Northeastern U.S. Flood <br /> <br />Synopsis. Although this flood can be more accurately described as a river <br />flood event, the elements that contributed to the flooding resulted in rapid <br />rises on major rivers more closely associated with flash flooding. The <br />Susquehanna River Basin Commission referred to this event as a basin-wide <br />flash flood over the entire Susquehanna watershed. The last time this <br />occurred on such a large scale was Hurricane Agnes in 1972, and not <br />surprisingly, the January 1996 floods in the Northeastern U.S. produced the <br />most extensive river flooding since Agnes. <br />One example of the devastation on the smaller streams was in Lycoming <br />County in west-central Pennsylvania, where six deaths were reported. <br />