Flood Potential Average for Northern Utah

Dina Freedman ReportingRainfall and snow already melting made for a dangerous combination yesterday in Morgan. KSL Meteorologist Dina Freedman joins us to bring us up-to-date on the flood potential.

Flooding happens every year, but last year it was the southern portion of the state. Now as we kick off the 2006 flood season, the northern part may be getting the brunt.

It's March, and with that comes warmer days and rain and melting snow. However, the rain that fell in Morgan County on Tuesday was atypical with about a half of an inch falling in only twenty minutes' time.

Brian McInerney, Hydrologist-NWS: "It fell on ground that was already saturated from snow melting at low elevations, due to the warmer temperatures. When that happened, it had nowhere to go."

And when there's no room for the water in the creeks, it moves on the land, and then into houses.

As temperatures start to rise over the next couple of months and the snow and the ice melts and the water begins to run, if you're worried about flooding, one thing you can do is clean the drains around your home of debris.

Brian McInerney, Hydrologist-NWS: "Our flood threat for northern Utah is about average for any given year."

The threat for flooding may be average, but snowpack in the north ranges from 90 to 150 % of normal. So if that melting combines with a lot of rain, we could have trouble.

Brian McInerney: "If you get a combination of rapid melt and intense rainfall, we could have a flood, a brief flood in localized areas really anywhere. But we have to wait and see how those conditions come out and we really won't know that until May."

We will have to wait it out as we move into springtime, but one thing you can work on now is reviewing your flood safety rules with your family.

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