Prepping for the Heavy Rainfall Potential Flooding That’s Near

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Severe weather awareness week is here and, as if on cue, heavy rainfall and potential flooding are in the forecast.

Meteorologists and insurance agents both say the threat of flooding is something that should never be taken lightly.

Flood insurance is something insurance agents suggest regardless of whether or not you live in a flood zone.

Weather has a mind of its own and when there’s flooding, water will pool up quickly, even in spots not known to flood.

When it rains, it pours, and in our part of the country, when it pours it often floods.

WCBI Meteorologist Alex Puckett says potential flash flooding and area flooding are possible in the coming week.

“Sometimes, it will take a little while for the rivers and the streams to catch up. You get that run-off back into the rivers and streams and that takes a little bit of time, so the accumulation of all that run-off, further and further downstream, that’s when you start to see the streams and the rivers crest and that takes a little time, after the heaviest rain falls.”

Puckett says some spots could get as little as three or four inches of rain, but others may see up to six to eight inches.

“I would tend to say now, the best chance to see the heaviest rain is going to be in the further northwestern parts of our area, so if you’re north and west of the Natchez Trace Parkway, that’s probably going to be where some of the heaviest rain is going to fall.”

“Eight inches of rain will flood areas that are not normally flooded. The areas that normally do flood will seriously be flooded,” says State Farm Insurance Agent Denise Good.

Good says it never hurts to be prepared when there’s heavy rain on the way.

“Don’t ever think that just because you’re not in a flood zone that you will not flood because water doesn’t care where it goes and so many times, when water comes up in town, the creeks, the rivers, we will have people that flood and areas that are not even in a flood zone.”

Good suggests getting flood insurance even if you’re home sits in an area that could flood.

“It’s not that expensive, especially, if you’re not right in the flood zone. It’s definitely within a price range, but the risk to transfer that risk to the insurance company, I would absolutely recommend flood insurance.”

If you’re thinking about getting flood insurance, you need to plan.

“Flood insurance has a 30 day waiting period and so when flood is eminent, it’s a little too late to buy flood insurance, so you definitely need to address that before you have that chance of flooding. We never really know when that’s going to be because the weather is so unpredictable.”

Puckett stresses to make sure your pets have adequate shelter and are placed in a nice, dry spot and to make sure they’re not in an area that often floods.