Potential For Catastrophic Flooding Event Goes Up In Oklahoma

The potential for a catastrophic and deadly flooding event will go up later today, tonight and through tomorrow morning for central and eastern Oklahoma. 

A Flash Flood watch is in effect from East of a Lawton to Enid to Ponca City line. Somewhere east of that line heavy bands of rain will develop and areas could see upwards to four to 10 inches of rainfall. We are also watching a lot of spin in the atmosphere, so an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out across Central and Eastern Oklahoma today into this evening.

The rain fall rates from Bill will increase to over two inches per hour with the heaviest banding. Where these bands set up tonight, flash flooding and the potential for catastrophic flash flooding will be expected. These bands will hold for hours over the same area make this a very dangerous situation.

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If you live in low-lying areas or flood prone areas it would be wise to move to higher ground if you're in the flash flood watch area.

The current track shows upwards of four to 10 inches of rain in the metro by tomorrow morning. There are indications that this track could be east of the metro in those areas will see those kind of totals. It is a difficult forecast but one that you need to pay close attention to. Do not take this lightly.

Flooding kills more people per year (85) than tornadoes (75) and lightning (51). *Death statistics from the NWS

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