A vast portion of the central United States could be facing catastrophic floods in the coming days. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
The central U.S. is on alert as an atmospheric river threatens widespread flooding that, according to Accuweather, could become “life-threatening” and “historic.”
Atmospheric rivers, for those unacquainted, are bands of moisture in the sky that can be likened to rivers. They’re made up of condensed water vapor and can be over 1,000 miles long. When they hit a landmass, the vapor rapidly cools down and turns into rain or snow. Generally, they’re just part of the normal climate cycles, but when they get huge, they can have devastating effects.
This one has stalled over the middle of the United States, and forecasters are warning that its effects could be catastrophic. The areas most likely to be affected are from Arkansas to Kentucky.
“A multi-day, potentially historic heavy rainfall event may produce catastrophic and life-threatening flooding through Saturday from the Ozarks into the Ohio River Valley,” warned the National Weather Service (NWS) on April 3. “A high risk of excessive rainfall (level 4/4) is in effect Thursday from southwestern Kentucky into western Tennessee and northeastern Arkansas where the greatest threat for numerous instances of life-threatening flash flooding exists following heavy rainfall over the same areas Wednesday.”
Accuweather is reporting enormous amounts of rainfall for certain areas. As much as four months worth of rain might hit a 1,000 mile stretch in five days. If it is as heavy a downpour as expected, rivers will certainly flood and records will be broken.
“Should the amount of rain occur that we anticipate over the middle of the nation,” said AccuWeather Senior Storm Warning Meteorologist William Clark in a statement, “it would exceed the 500 to 1,000-year average.”
The atmospheric river, which was born in the the tropics before making its way over the U.S., has been blocked from continuing on its way to the Atlantic side of the country. A high pressure area stopped it in its tracks, and, like all atmospheric rivers, it holds a whole lot of water that needs to go somewhere.
According to the National Weather Service, it will “fuel continued rounds of intense downpour-producing thunderstorms throughout the region, but with a particular focus centered on the Lower Ohio Valley into the Mid-South.”
You may remember back in February when Kentucky was hammered by deadly floods. This system could drop twice the amount of water as that one, and some 46 million people can expect to feel the effects. IFLScience reported that 13 million people are currently living in high-to-extreme risk flood zones.
“Communities in the region should prepare for possible long duration and severe disruptions to daily life,” says the NWS. In particular, those traveling along roads near rivers and streams are urged to be vigilant for rising water levels, and everyone living within the affected region is advised to prepare to move to higher ground if necessary.
