Flash Floods

A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic lowlying areas - washes, rivers and streams - caused by the intense rain fall associated with a thunderstorm, or multiple thunderstorms. This flash flood was filmed in Kellick Creek, 10 miles south west of Merriwa, Upper Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia:

In the United States, more people die yearly in floods (127 on average) than by lightning (73), tornadoes (65), or hurricanes (16). The United States National Weather Service gives the advice "Turn Around, Don't Drown" in reference to flash floods; that is, it recommends that people get out of the area of a flash flood, rather than trying to cross it. Most people tend to underestimate the dangers of flash floods.

For the last ten years, David Rankin has been chasing flash floods in Southern Utah. This is the amazing result: