One major part of thunderstorms, whether or not they reach a severe stage, is rain.

Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Bob Kempf says that even though rain is a major part of these storms, heavy rains can occur without the thunderstorms as well. These major rain events can cause a host of issues including hydroplaning, where drivers find themselves losing traction as their tires lose contact with the road because of the amount of water on them.

Kempf tells Raccoon Valley Radio that that isn’t the only issue that drivers may face though, as the threat of covered roadways is possible as well.

“And one of the things we always talk about is not driving through water, whether the water is moving or not. Let’s say if the water is not moving, if it’s just setting there, it may have been moving before. And you can’t see whether or not the actual roadway is there underneath the water. And you could end up driving into an area where the roadway is missing.”

Kempf mentions that covered roadways are caused by flash flooding. He adds that if water is moving across the roadway, it only takes four to six inches of depth to that moving water to move a vehicle. He advises that it is always safer to stop, turn around, and find another way forward than to continue through on any water covered roads.