05/25/2019
AN URGENT REQUEST TO OKLAHOMA REGARDING SEVERE WEATHER, AND MAJOR FLOODING ONGOING WITH POTENTIAL LIFE-THREATENING FLOODING EXPECTED - SHARE THIS INFORMATION ONCE POSTED: As many of you have been aware of, beginning in March I began monitoring of a developing weather situation that began impacting the State on May 18th, 2019. This has now become an historic event with regard to flooding in much of the Northeastern, Central, and Eastern Oklahoma watersheds causing major damaging flooding. There are 2 important statements I need to make. First, it's not over yet, there's more coming even though we have a brief break today. The Jet-Stream and upper-low pressure system has become very persistent in its location not having moved much at all in the last few days. Additional significant severe weather is likely tomorrow across portions of North Central, Northwestern, far Northeastern Oklahoma and again on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of the upcoming week. Forecast river, lakes and stream stages are based on PAST rainfall amounts and not any additional amounts. For the Northeastern Oklahoma area in the Tulsa district, 72 gauges are ABOVE flood stage, and 14 are at MAJOR flooding. Miami Oklahoma is experiencing significant damaging flooding now with the gauge at Commerce along the Neosho River at 25 feet now. Forecast flood stage crest is at 29.51 feet, flood stage is at 15 feed, and major flooding starts to occur at 24 feet. In July of 2007, Miami saw 650 homes flood with many completely destroyed when the Neosho crested at 29.25 feet, meaning that this forecast stage is the 2nd highest if it crests at 29.51 feet. If any more rainfall happens over the next few days this will go HIGHER than that. The record is 34 feet set on July 16, 1951. There IS the potential that this will crest higher than that if the ore of engineers cannot control the levels as Grand Lake where the dam is located at. Grand Lake currently shows at below flood stage but this is not expected to remain that way. And this is only one of 72 gauges. So I have deep concerns for those areas. I expect that both Federal and State offices f emergency management will allocate additional resources to assist residence affected by the severe weather and flooding in all areas of Oklahoma, but at this point I do have concerns for management of flooding along the lakes and rivers here in Oklahoma. Miami has already lost about 500 total structures that I can count and if the river crests higher than the forecast 29.51 feet, well over 1,000 structures and 4,000 residents will have immediate devastating impact to lifestyle, and there will be immediate life-threatening flooding along the river. That's just one place though and with 72 reporting serious flooding now, I suspect this will only get much more significant.
On the link posted the map is interactive. The green dots represent rivers and lakes below flood stage. Yellow is action where it's at flood stage but action is required to protect life and property. Orange is above flood stage where minor flooding is happening but not life threatening. Moderate is in red, and there property is affected and some concern for life and property is warranted. Magenta is where major flooding is happening and life-threatening flooding with destruction to property is ongoing. Click on any one of the dots and there you'll find information about each gauge.
I will be available though home and with wife. I'll try to update everyone when I can. Be safe.
National Weather Service Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service (AHPS)