Evaluation of National Weather Service Flood Severity Categories and Use of Gage Station Flood History Information

The mission of the National Weather Service (NWS) is to provide ...weather,hydrologic, and climate forecasts and warnings...for the protection of life and property and the enhancement of the national economy. If the NWS is to accomplish this and protect life and property, the forecasts and warnings must be accurate, and they must be communicated clearly and effectively to those who must act.Today, NWS relies on indices for communicating risk and urgency of forecasts and warnings, two of which are: (1) flood severity indices and (2) historical flood information. But questions about the efficacy of these indices arose after devastating inland flooding in North Carolina due to 1999’s Hurricane Floyd. Questions were asked about whether emergency responders received information from the NWS that was useful, clear, and complete so that they could make appropriate decisions to protect the public. 2004 NWS (National Weather Service) Submitted Public Domain 1931