For severe weather preparedness week, NewsWest 9 Meteorologist Dan Grigsby takes a look at flooding, a surprisingly common weather phenomena in West Texas.
It doesn't rain often in West Texas but when it does, it's usually enough to cause flooding. It only takes a half inch for the Permian Basin to start seeing minor problems on the roads, and several inches can cause major flooding.
If your house lies near or within a flood zone, you may encounter a time when waters are high enough to enter your home. In this case, you want to move to the highest story of your home. If water reaches the top floor, you'll want to move to the roof of your home where hopefully water hasn't reached.
It's important to note that you should never take cover in an attic, as these can become flooded and are hard to escape. Also, it's best to stay where you are if it's safe, and don't travel.
Speaking of travel, if you happen to be on the road and encounter a flooded roadway, it's always best to turn around and don't drown. Almost half of flood deaths occur in vehicles and it only takes a little bit of water to lose control.
About six inches of moving water can knock a person off their feet while a foot of moving water can carry away a small car. Eighteen to 24 inches of water can carry away large trucks and SUVs.
Look for a flood gauge along low water crossings to see how deep water is. And remember, if you're unsure of how deep water is, always turn around and don't drown.
