Detroit Area Flooding - 08/11/2014

[compn]

I'm surprised the weather people aren't getting more flack. I recall seeing a forecast of .6 inches of rain for the day and thinking the grass seed I planted would like that. Little did I know it would all get washed away and end up in the road in front of my driveway.

the weather forecasts have been notoriously off this year. forecasts of last weekend being 75 , turns out to be 85. forecasts of rain 5 days a week and getting none. i mean, michigan gets the same number of rain days per year , how come they keep forecasting thunderstorms ?

"The entire state averages 30 days of thunderstorm activity per year."

somethings broken if our average tstorm days are 30 out of 365 and yet the weather service predicts more than 50 tstorms. any websites that track incorrect weather predictions ?

[dtowncitylover]

http://www.freep.com/article/2014082...emoval-detroit

Took a jog early this morning and a certain upscale street in Royal Oak smelled awful. A mixture between pure waste and grandma's basement. Had to cover my nose through most of it.

However seeing these piles of trash makes me wonder if we truly understand how much shit us Americans have.

[Willi]

Many thanks to those that clicked on the Red Run Drain link
Millions of dollars were recently spent on that particular drain.
https://plus.google.com/photos/+Will...705?banner=pwa
Local geography was never really taught to kids in the area over the past 50 years.
People forgot the GM Tech Center site was selected because it had water in Warren.
http://redrundrain.wordpress.com/201...clinton-river/
Many living at an elevation around 620ft got hit , since topography "slopes" to Lake St. Clair
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...e-disposal.jpg
Elevation plays a key role in flood zones
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...rren-north.jpg
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...ren-middle.jpg
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...rren-south.jpg
Anyone can pull the elevation maps for their neighborhood by using
the FlexViewer GIS Map from Macomb County.
http://gis.macombgov.org/flexviewer2
Then click on Layers, Natural Features, Contours
FlexViewer does so much more than most people imagine.

[Jimaz]

Many thanks to those that clicked on the Red Run Drain link
Millions of dollars were recently spent on that particular drain.
https://plus.google.com/photos/+Will...705?banner=pwa
Local geography was never really taught to kids in the area over the past 50 years.
People forgot the GM Tech Center site was selected because it had water in Warren.
http://redrundrain.wordpress.com/201...clinton-river/
Many living at an elevation around 620ft got hit , since topography "slopes" to Lake St. Clair
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...e-disposal.jpg
Elevation plays a key role in flood zones
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...rren-north.jpg
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...ren-middle.jpg
http://redrundrain.files.wordpress.c...rren-south.jpg
Anyone can pull the elevation maps for their neighborhood by using
the FlexViewer GIS Map from Macomb County.
http://gis.macombgov.org/flexviewer2
Then click on Layers, Natural Features, Contours
FlexViewer does so much more than most people imagine.

Well, thank you very much Willi. That was one of the most helpful first posts I've ever seen. I bookmarked the FlexViewer.

Welcome to the forum!

[MikeM]

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display...03764&source=2

[mtburb]

Just found today that there had been a funnel cloud over Lincoln Park just before the flooding hit.

[mtburb]

Obama has now officially declared the flooding as a major disaster.

http://www.thenewsherald.com/article...b937825132.txt

President Barack Obama has issued a major disaster declaration regarding the severe storms and flooding Aug. 11-13 in southeastern Michigan.

The action makes federal funding available for residents in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.

Assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in the counties of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne.
Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Residents can make claims by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA [[3362). Applicants can also apply via smartphone at m.fema.gov.

[Gpwrangler]

Just found today that there had been a funnel cloud over Lincoln Park just before the flooding hit.

Of course there was. That caused the whole thing. Someone always spots one these days, and they sound the county wide siren and everyone goes downstairs.

Pic looks like a scud cloud to me. The person in the car should get that check engine and ABS light checked out though. Those clouds mean "it's gonna rain". And it did.

[Willi]

So how much traffic will the website
http://www.disasterassistance.gov/ see tommorrow ?

Facts About Flood Insurance
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/divisi...s/flood_fs.pdf

MYTH: “My standard home owners’ insurance will cover me
if my house is damaged or destroyed in a flood.”
FACT: Home owners’ insurance does not cover flood damage. Federal flood insurance, purchased through your insurance agent or company, is the only guaranteed flood insurance coverage available for your home.

MYTH: “Federal disaster aid, available during and after a flood, will reimburse me for losses. Therefore, I don’t need to buy flood insurance for my home and belongings.”
FACT: Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster aid is only available during Presidentially declared disasters. Federal aid may often be in the form of a loan that you must pay back with interest. Flood insurance policies pay claims whether or not a disaster is declared.

MYTH: “I live outside the floodplain, so I don’t need to buy flood insurance.”
FACT: More than 25 percent of the National Flood Insurance Program’s [[NFIP) flood insurance claims are for structures outside identified flood plains. Floods can occur anywhere. An area that is near a levee or a dam is at risk of levee or dam breakage. People who face even moderate flood risks should get insurance, which can be purchased for as little as $80 per year.

MYTH: “I can’t buy flood insurance because my home has been flooded previously.”
FACT: If your community is participating in the NFIP, it doesn’t matter that your home has been flooded before. You may still buy flood insurance.

MYTH: “If people don’t want to purchase flood insurance,
it’s their own business. It doesn’t really affect me.”
FACT: When people do not buy flood insurance, you pay more for federal and state disaster relief. Flood insurance is one of the best ways to keep disaster relief costs down for all taxpayers.

MYTH: “Flood insurance is only available for homeowners.”
FACT: Flood insurance is available to protect homes, condominiums and nonresidential buildings including farm and commercial structures in participating communities. Contents coverage also is available, so coverage is available to renters as well.

MYTH: “If they predict a flood in the near future, it’s too late for me to purchase insurance.” FACT: You can purchase flood insurance anytime in a participating community. However, there is a 30-day waiting period after you have applied and paid the premium before the policy is in effect. The policy will not, however, cover a loss in progress.

MYTH: “I can only buy federal flood insurance through the federal government.”
FACT: You can buy federal flood insurance through most major private insurance
companies and licensed property insurance agents who sell home owners’ or property insurance.

MYTH: “The NFIP does not offer any type of basement coverage.”
FACT: Yes it does. The NFIP defines a basement as any area of a building with a floor that is subgrade below ground level on all sides. Basement coverage under an NFIP policy includes clean up expenses and items used to service homes and buildings. These can include elevators, furniture, water heaters, air conditioners, freezers, utility connections, circuit breaker boxes, pumps, and tanks used in solar energy systems. Flood insurance will not cover the contents of a finished basement and basement improvement such as finished walls, floors and ceilings.