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Yay rain!

I am watching the cell moving toward the northland...any info with what is associated with that?  Just don't want hail.

Thanks for the update Gary! It is looking a bit more promising for those of us along and north of I-70 now.

Becky,
We were at St. Lukes near the Plaza.  I noticed it was getting a little dark as my dad was finishing his chemo for the day so I called home.  Mom said that there was a little rain and the sky was lightening up.  At 1:45, I looked out the window and it was pouring.  On the way home, we saw a lot of ponding of water.

Kristi  

Kristi,
I bet that wasnt too fun.  At least you made it home safely.  Looks like I am going to get my rain soon.  I am watching the cell off to the west come towards the northland.  Well stay safe if you have to go out.  Hope your parents are doing ok.
Becky

Help?  I took a video of a street close to my house earlier that turned into a roaring river.  Uploaded it from the phone to the computer and can't get it to open.
Wanted to post it on my blog - man, that is what flash flooding is!
Went from a storm drain / mini creek, into a whitewater river probably 12 feet wide over the road, and saw many many cars back up and turn around.
Any help with this?   Been sitting here for an hour trying quicktime and windows media, and nothing will open the video, says it's an mpeg4.
Thanks
Oh, and a bit over an inch in the rain gauge.

Skeezix, or whoever wrote to RDub (I'm too lazy to look at the last blog), Here's what I'm thinking RDub means. If it's not severe enough, it doesn't rain hard enough, it doesn't thunder loud enough, it doesn't blow hard enough, the lightning doesn't zig when it should zag enough, somebody somewhere starts running for the wine and kleenex.

Well I'm thrilled, guess it was a good thing Kck didn't get much rain today.  My a/c man showed up.  I'll be ready for the heat now..

doin a lil rain dance for those that want the rain.. lol

Whirly, that's exactly what I meant. Thanks.

And I wasn't directing that particular comment at Murph, anyway. It was at whoever said we got "cheated" because the severe t-storm watch was issued to the east of us.

Over the years have they reduced the requirements for the issuance of a flash flood warning?  It sure seems to me like there are a ton more warnings now than there were even five years ago.  Take for instance the flash flood warning currently in effect for Jackson County.  As Gary said, rainfall rates reached four inches per hour but the event lasted a matter of minutes.  Radar estimates indicate the vast majority of Jackson County received between .1 and .5 an inch of rain.  A very tiny area in the northeast part of the county had upwards of an 1.5 of rain.  I can see where a half inch in ten minutes would result in a rapid rise of streams, but it sure wouldn't result in any signficant flooding.  An inch and a half in ten minutes might result in minor flooding, but still, the warned area is probably 75 times larger than the area that might reasonable see some marginally high water.  It seems to me just about anytime a storm rolls through there is a flood warning issued.

stormwyndd..  Try a program like VLC media player.  If I'm not mistaking that will play anything.
You can find it here..      www.videolan.org/vlc

Good luck.. if that doesn't work let me know I'll double check what program it was that I used.  

"whirlygirl said:
Skeezix, or whoever wrote to RDub (I'm too lazy to look at the last blog), Here's what I'm thinking RDub means. If it's not severe enough, it doesn't rain hard enough, it doesn't thunder loud enough, it doesn't blow hard enough, the lightning doesn't zig when it should zag enough, somebody somewhere starts running for the wine and kleenex."

Yep.  

i am pleased with the orientation of the heavier rain out west.  not too severe looking, just mod-heavy rain.  us up NW are relieved.  

whirlygirl, we know what rdub was getting at, it was, however, unnecessary.  that was the point.  i saw no one complaining.  did you?

We finally have the rain here in Leavenworth County!! * puts away wine and kleenex* ~rolls eyes~

I received .75 here in SE Lee's Summit so this may be it?  when will we know?  my daughter has a 3v3 game @ 650 in independence do you think this will happen?  Kristy

Well, the "we got cheated" post got removed...so that may have added to the confusion, since Luthur and I were reacting to a post that disappeared.

Pvt, sir, not really seeing complaints. But usually somebody does. The only ones wot should be complainin' guvner, are them wot's got the floods.

Zazel - I don't know if this is true or not - someone will probably tell you it isn't!  But I've noticed that there are a lot more flood warnings as well - and for out where I live, Johnson County MO.  I just kind of figured, from driving around and seeing the ponds and streams and stuff being so full and higher than usual, that it's not necessarily that 1" or 2" would cause a flood.  I think it's the cumulative effect.  And there for a while, even 1/2" was causing some problems.  So I would expect that once things REALLY dry out (down deep) and water evaporates from streams and rivers and such, then when it rains, even if it's hard, we won't necessarily be getting flood warnings.  Make sense?

Y'all can correct me if I'm wrong!  Laura.

Hummer, that sure seems to make sense.

Yeah Hummer, that makes sense but I didn't think that current moisture levels were necessarily taken into account when issuing flood warnings.  Perhaps this is something I should research this afternoon while I'm waiting to leave work.

I don't even remember what all that post said, but I'm surprised it got deleted. It wasn't naughty or anything was it?

The ground is saturated.  That's the reason for more flash flood warnings.

Kristi

Laura,
You are correct.

Kristi

Hummer, you are absolutely correct. It's what hydrologists call "antecedent moisture conditions". The amount of rain required to cause a flood varies widely depending on these conditions. With soil moisture and streamflows already well above average, it doesn't take that much rain to cause some flooding.

Flash flood guidance values...

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/rfcshare/ffg.php

Jeri,
If you are reading right now, I have sent you have a PM. :)

Kristi

That's an interesting product RDub.  So basically, one small area within Jackson County topped the 1.8 inches necessary in an hour to suggest the issuance of a flood warning.  

I just have to shake my head in frusration Gary.  One look at the radar and it looks like it's going to hit Lansing, Leavenworth and Gladstone AGAIN!!  Argh!

I need more rain on my yard in Overland Park.  I am ready for the new weather pattern to arrive and soon.

Don

Can someone tell me where the "weak front headed our way" is located now?

Zazel, the site also notes that in urban areas, less rain is required to produce flash flooding. This is because a lot of the rain runs straight off. So for urban areas, the value was even lower than 1.8".

Of course, I am going to have a different take.

I think in different parts of the area, due to soil make up and other geographical factors, some parts of the area are much wetter or drier than others.  Coupled with how runoff and water tables alter due to new development in relationship to surrounding areas, everyone is going to have somewhat different conditions.

I for one, have areas in my yard that are already cracking..but I don't expect that is the case for the region, as others are probably still swimming.  

That said, as it relates to flash flood alerts, I suspect with the increase in awareness, technology, and communication from the public, emergency managers, and what is available for the NWS, it is more common to have information that in the past may not have been available.  With more information, the NWS likely can issue more watches/warnings than before due to having more information to make those decisions.

Each city or area has trouble spots when it rains, and based on how the rain patterns evolve over a given time, often times flash flood alerts will seem excessive when in fact they may be targeted to specific areas.

I wonder if there is a concept of polygon type warnings for flooding as has been implemented for severe storms or tornadoes?

Other than that...I always find it amusing the tone that evolves during times of thunderstorms...and for that, I will typically stay away, but the flooding thought did seem interesting enough to comment on.

There are dark hairy clouds starting to come in over Shawnee. I know hairy is not a meteorology term but I am making spaghetti sauce and am thinking garlic and tomatoes not cloud terms.

****I know hairy is not a meteorology term but I am making spaghetti sauce and am thinking garlic and tomatoes not cloud terms.****  I don;t think I ever want to try your spaghetti sauce. :s    




;)

Rain this afternoon in central LS....     .33"

Penguin, I am Italian. My spaghetti sauce is pretty good.

From the NWS Jefferson County KS is now under an Urban and Small Stream Advisory.  Since 4PM 1.6" has falled at my house in the central part of the county.  Very heavy rain, no lightening.

What did Gary have to say during the news cast?? I am unable to see it?? Are we done with heavy rain or not??

5 KCkmartins,
thank you! that did open it... but boy am I a dummy.  How do I save it so I can post it on to my blog so all you have to do is click to play?

Storm, If you saved it when you uploaded/downloaded it, you don't have to do anything.  Posting it to your blog would depend on how its set up I guess.. That part is a little over my head.  I guess you could always youtube it.

Let me finish up with dinner and I'll see what I can do to give ya a hand with it.

5Kckmartins,
Thanks!  I'm probably missing something pretty simple here, I just know nothing about videos, lol. Time for the old dog to learn some new tricks.  :)

It's been raining steady here in LA Cygne for awhile. Good soaking for the lawn and horse pastures... not so good for trying to bale hay, but you can't have everything! So far .4 inches.

I got caught in Louisburg, KS around lunch time and boy did it rain hard with lots of wind. It came down so fast you couldn't see across the street and was coming underneath the gas station awing. Then When I got home home poof - hardly any rain. I just love storms like that where a few miles the weather is so different.

I have 2.1" of rain at 80th and Grant in Overland Park.