S., Northern California, Ohio river basin, and various rivers on the east coast. Floods are arguably the most common of the natural weather disasters and also the most destructive. Floods are the considered the number one killer when dealing with weather related deaths and also cause around 2 billion dollars of damage per year. .
There are different types of floods that can occur through the United States. River flooding tends to be the most common and also the most inevitable since anything from spring rains to ice jams to land fallen tropical storms can cause this type of flooding. The second type, coastal flooding, is caused by tropical storms and hurricanes, which produce a large storm surge. This type of flooding can also occur if a tidal wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption collides with the shore. Finally, the paving of land into parking lots and streets causes urban flooding. Since the land is paved it loses its ability to soak the rain, which in turn increases the runoff of water by 2 to 6 times compared to unpaved land. .
There is also a difference in the terms flooding and flash flooding. Flash flooding is defined as flooding that occurs within 6 hours of a heavy rain. Flooding, on the other hand, is simply a term used to describe a longer term rising in water levels that may last up to a week or more. .
Hurricanes.
Hurricanes are another natural weather hazard that affects the United States. Hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th with September having the highest probability for hurricanes. Also, while most hurricanes are found on the gulf or east coast, it is possible for a hurricane to strike the west coast. The highest risk for a hurricane is found along the coastline that runs from North Carolina to Florida, yet, of the top ten most destructive hurricanes in history, five of them have struck the gulf coast while only three of the top ten have struck in this region running from N.