Observational and modeling perspectives on the 14 June 2010 Oklahoma City flood event

Altered hydrologic system components due to changes in surface characteristics have led to diverse flooding situations in urban areas. Recent urban flooding in the United States and globally has highlighted the need for more research on the unique interplay between hydrometeorology and the built environment. During the early morning hours of 14 June 2010, extensive flash flooding occurred throughout Oklahoma City due to convective rainfall between 100 and 300 mm over a 12-hour period. The goal of this project was to conduct an observational case study of the Oklahoma City event using various hydrometeorological datasets, and to assess URBAN and NOURBAN simulations of the event using a coupled mesoscale atmosphere-land surface model (WRF-NOAH) to explore the role the urban landscape played in the event. Preliminary results from the case study and simulations will be discussed.