Detroit avoids flash floods while storms batter other cities
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Storms sweeping through the U.S. this summer have dumped intense rain on cities across the country, but severe flash floods have mostly missed Metro Detroit.
The big picture: Scientists who spoke to Axios say the deadly floods in Texas that killed more than 130 people underscores the risk that climate change can worsen extreme rainfall events.
By the numbers: NWS offices issued 3,160 flash flood warnings nationwide this year through July 16, according to a tracker at Iowa State University's Iowa Environmental Mesonet.
- That's the most for that period in any year since records began in 1986.
Zoom in: Metro Detroit has had only a handful of flash flood warnings this year.
- Wayne County has had zero warnings, Macomb has had two and Oakland County one, according to Iowa Environmental Mesonet's data.
Context: Flash floods are sudden and violent, and can develop in minutes or hours. Warnings are issued when a flash flood is imminent or occurring.
- Forecasted flooding that may be a nuisance can result in a flood watch or advisory, per the NWS.
Go deeper: How climate change affects rainfall patterns