What question did this study set out to answer?

To examine and compare the meteorological mechanisms responsible for the Big Thompson and Rapid City flash floods and establish common indicators to identify future flood potential.

March 1, 1978Monthly Weather ReviewOpen Access

Comparison of Meteorological Aspects of the Big Thompson and Rapid City Flash Floods

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Authors

RMRobert A. MaddoxUniversity of Arizona LHLee R. HoxitUnited States Geological Survey CCCharles F. ChappellNSF National Center for Atmospheric Research

Discussion

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Implication

Comparative meteorological analysis reveals shared atmospheric drivers of mountain flash floods, highlighting predictive patterns for high-risk slopes.

Key Points

To examine and compare the meteorological mechanisms responsible for the Big Thompson and Rapid City flash floods and establish common indicators to identify future flood potential.
Analyzed synoptic and mesoscale meteorological data from the 31 July 1976 Big Thompson Canyon and 9 June 1972 Black Hills flash flood events.
Evaluated moisture transport, boundary layer wind dynamics, upper-tropospheric flow, and orographic lifting mechanisms across both cases.
Both storm events formed as strong, low-level easterly winds forced warm, conditionally unstable, moisture-rich air masses up steep mountain slopes.
Orographic uplift triggered convective instability, while light winds aloft kept the storm systems nearly stationary over elevated topography.
Identified a consistent set of shared meteorological signatures capable of evaluating flash flood potential along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Cite This Study

Maddox et al. (1978) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6da12778a11c550e080f30 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1978)106<0375:comaot>2.0.co;2

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March 1, 1978Monthly Weather ReviewOpen Access

Comparison of Meteorological Aspects of the Big Thompson and Rapid City Flash Floods

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

RMRobert A. MaddoxUniversity of Arizona LHLee R. HoxitUnited States Geological Survey CCCharles F. ChappellNSF National Center for Atmospheric Research

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Comparative meteorological analysis reveals shared atmospheric drivers of mountain flash floods, highlighting predictive patterns for high-risk slopes.

Key Points

To examine and compare the meteorological mechanisms responsible for the Big Thompson and Rapid City flash floods and establish common indicators to identify future flood potential.
Analyzed synoptic and mesoscale meteorological data from the 31 July 1976 Big Thompson Canyon and 9 June 1972 Black Hills flash flood events.
Evaluated moisture transport, boundary layer wind dynamics, upper-tropospheric flow, and orographic lifting mechanisms across both cases.
Both storm events formed as strong, low-level easterly winds forced warm, conditionally unstable, moisture-rich air masses up steep mountain slopes.
Orographic uplift triggered convective instability, while light winds aloft kept the storm systems nearly stationary over elevated topography.
Identified a consistent set of shared meteorological signatures capable of evaluating flash flood potential along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

Cite This Study

Maddox et al. (1978) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6da12778a11c550e080f30 https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0493(1978)106<0375:comaot>2.0.co;2

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