central North Carolina to improve the actionable information included in flood warnings. This project is
divided into two main phases: identifying hot spots and investigating the meteorological patterns
associated with flash flooding.
In the first phase, a review of non-tropical flash flood storm reports dating back to 2007 was
conducted to identify dates and times of significant flash flooding events. Heat maps were created
using the frequency of flooding reports at specific locations to aid in pinpointing flood-prone hot spots.
An existing hot spot catalog from the early 2000s was updated by surveying emergency managers
and other core partners, leveraging their local knowledge.
The Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) Hazard Services program was
utilized to incorporate these identified hot spots within Flash Flood Warnings and Flood Advisories.
The second phase of the project involved creating composite maps showcasing key meteorological
parameters, including moisture transport, precipitable water, jet dynamics, and mid-level geopotential
height fields. These maps were examined to determine the most relevant features during different
seasons.
Early results show diurnal and seasonal trends in flash flood events, as well as seasonal trends in the
atmospheric forcing mechanisms influencing flash flood occurrences.
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