ABSTRACT
Among all storm-related hazards in the United States and beyond, flash flooding has been the deadliest in recent years (Ashley and Ashley 2008). Unlike tornadoes, large hail, and heavy snow, flash flooding is not a purely atmospheric phenomenon. Meteorologists and weather forecasters tasked with predicting these events must possess not only meteorological knowledge but also, in many cases, hydrologic knowledge as well as an understanding of the land-atmosphere interactions involved. Moreover, the magnitude and types of impacts caused by flash flooding are often dictated by behaviors, and thus social science also plays a role. Because flash floods occur, by definition, over small spatial and temporal scales, high-resolution observations are needed to produce useful forecasts.
