Cedar Rapids flooding

[wxman1]

it seems like the news overhypes weather events. not saying this isn't important or noteworthy - but i recall hurricane predictions and snow predictions and all sorts of related events that ended up being far less sinister than predicted.

Not going to deny that national news sensationalizes the crap out of stuff. IMO though I have never seen local news do that. **** happens it is a science for a reason. If we hit 23 feet that will be 1.1 feet off of the initial projection of 24.1 made four days ago based purely off of rainfall reports 60+ miles away with no knowledge of how much of it was actually going to make it to the streams and rivers. Pretty damn good imo.

 

[BoxsterCy]

Not going to deny that national news sensationalizes the crap out of stuff. IMO though I have never seen local news do that. **** happens it is a science for a reason. If we hit 23 feet that will be 1.1 feet off of the initial projection of 24.1 made four days ago based purely off of rainfall reports 60+ miles away with no knowledge of how much of it was actually going to make it to the streams and rivers. Pretty damn good imo.

I haven't been following this as closely as you guys but did they have crest projections with probabilities associated? Recent flood on the Red River of the North had different crests with % associated with them. Back when Grand Forks flooded the **** fit the fan afterwards since it exceeded the projected crest that was settled on as "thee number" and folks made a big deal later in the finger pointing because there were lower probability higher crests heights that were not shared. Of course the ND floods are snow melt events that last for weeks and have more variables over that time including spring rains and temperature impacting the melt. Not that it would have made a spit of difference in that lost flood fight but finger pointing is an art form not to be denied after disasters.

 

[wxman1]

I haven't been following this as closely as you guys but did they have crest projections with probabilities associated? Recent flood on the Red River of the North had different crests with % associated with them. Back when Grand Forks flooded the **** fit the fan afterwards since it exceeded the projected crest that was settled on as "thee number" and folks made a big deal later in the finger pointing because there were lower probability higher crests heights that were not shared. Of course the ND floods are snow melt events that last for weeks and have more variables over that time including spring rains and temperature impacting the melt. Not that it would have made a spit of difference in that lost flood fight but finger pointing is an art form not to be denied after disasters.

All that has been issued is a river level forecast and then using the inundation map went from there to figure out who to evacuate and what not.

 

[somecyguy]

The city has said multiple times they are preparing for 28 feet which is well above expected levels. I can't say I blame them. I'd rather over build in this situation rather than take a chance.

 

[ISUAlum05]

The city has said multiple times they are preparing for 28 feet which is well above expected levels. I can't say I blame them. I'd rather over build in this situation rather than take a chance.

Considering how much higher it went than predicted last time, leaving people with hours to prepare rather than days, I think anyone complaining about being over prepared is an idiot.

 

[laminak]

it seems like the news overhypes weather events. not saying this isn't important or noteworthy - but i recall hurricane predictions and snow predictions and all sorts of related events that ended up being far less sinister than predicted.

It's better to overhype to ensure safety if the predicted levels go over. I recall the flood of 2008 was initially predicted to be similar to this one....only it came in at 32'. There was less preparations for 08 vs this year.

 

[wxman1]

I want to clarify that I am all for being over prepared. The rest of this flood up to 24 feet will show how accurate the inundation maps are.

Side note: I am disappointed that I found out about Quarter Barrel and Parlor City offering reduced price or free beer to sand baggers after I left downtown.

 

[ISUAlum05]

I want to clarify that I am all for being over prepared. The rest of this flood up to 24 feet will show how accurate the inundation maps are.

Side note: I am disappointed that I found out about Quarter Barrel and Parlor City offering reduced price or free beer to sand baggers after I left downtown.

Iowa Brewing Company did too!

 

[wxman1]

Iowa Brewing Company did too!

DAMNIT!

We even joked about going over to Benz to see if they needed help reducing inventory in exchange for sandbags.

 

[Mtowncyclone13]

It's better to overhype to ensure safety if the predicted levels go over. I recall the flood of 2008 was initially predicted to be similar to this one....only it came in at 32'. There was less preparations for 08 vs this year.

studies have shown repeated "overhyped" events cause the public to take future warnings less seriously.

 

[DeereClone]

studies have shown repeated "overhyped" events cause the public to take future warnings less seriously.

I agree with your sentiment, especially in regard to winter storms here in Iowa. However, when we are talking about massive flooding, property devastation, and very dangerous situations with rising waters/fast currents, I don't see how you can do this any other way.

What are you advocating for in this situation? The news people to say "it might get bad?" I just don't see your point in relation to the current flooding situation. It is real. It is bad. It will be bad. The weather/news people are doing their best to predict this thing with the information they have. There are a lot of variables at play in those predictions and I believe they are doing a good job of informing the people about the situation.

 

[DeereClone]

studies have shown repeated "overhyped" events cause the public to take future warnings less seriously.

So you think the people of CR aren't taking this seriously? I am trying my best to understand your point, but none of this is making any sense.

 

[Judoka]

So you think the people of CR aren't taking this seriously? I am trying my best to understand your point, but none of this is making any sense.

Especially since the city's preparations, while not perfect, are a big part of why it isn't all that bad, right? The water level is already higher than 1993 and isn't done going up.

 

[chuckd4735]

So you think the people of CR aren't taking this seriously? I am trying my best to understand your point, but none of this is making any sense.

studies have shown repeated "overhyped" events cause the public to take future warnings less seriously.

 

[Dormeezy]

The current flooding has not been "overhyped" at all. The projections and necessary precautions to take have been accurately reported.

The city appears to have gotten adequately prepared over the past few days (fingers crossed), but make no mistake -- this flood is very real. It's a very dangerous situation. Things could still go very badly. Hoping that it doesn't.

 

[DeereClone]

studies have shown repeated "overhyped" events cause the public to take future warnings less seriously.

@chuckd4735 so next time the river is projected at 10'+ above flood stage the CR citizens will just shrug it off, because things were so hyped in 08 and 16? Right.

 

[bawbie]

it seems like the news overhypes weather events. not saying this isn't important or noteworthy - but i recall hurricane predictions and snow predictions and all sorts of related events that ended up being far less sinister than predicted.

It's a no-win situation for the city. They under-prepare and a bunch of buildings are damaged they get blamed.

If they prepare enough - if thousands of people volunteer and the city spends millions of dollars putting up fences and levees that keep the water out, then it's a non-event and people say they "over-hyped" it.

for **** sake, what a poorly timed, ******* ridiculous post.

 

[bawbie]

I want to clarify that I am all for being over prepared. The rest of this flood up to 24 feet will show how accurate the inundation maps are.

Side note: I am disappointed that I found out about Quarter Barrel and Parlor City offering reduced price or free beer to sand baggers after I left downtown.

But it won't if the temporary defenses work.

 

[bawbie]

let's say there is a week-long effort to sandbag because of 24' crest. then the crest is only 18'
in 5 years the news warns of a 25' crest but it peaks at 18'
.

The water is already at 21'. It didn't crest at 18'. What the **** are you talking about?

 

[Dormeezy]

The people of Cedar Rapids know from 2008 that floods are real and can do real extreme damage. No one will be complaining if the flood protection measures put into place "overprotect".

The preparations for this flood will not make people underestimate future major flood threats.