After a record cold and snowy winter, spring-like weather is a welcome sight to many! However, the warmer and wetter weather could bring another problem to the Northeast…Flooding. Current snow depths are running well above average, especially over northern NJ, northeastern PA, southeastern NY, CT, and MA (see below). The snowpack contains an average of 2 – 5” of liquid equivalent that will eventually find its way to local streams and rivers over the coming weeks. This combined with spring rainstorms could lead to widespread flooding events along many local streams and rivers.
Another potential concern is ice jam flooding. Many rivers and streams across the northeast are currently choked with ice due to a record cold February. As water levels rise with spring rainfall/snowmelt, the ice sheets covering these rivers will break up and move downstream. These ice chunks can accumulate around river bends and shallow areas, blocking flow, and leading to rapid water rises up stream. When these ice jams break, they can also lead to flash flooding downstream. The highest risk for ice jam flooding will be across northern PA, upstate NY, CT, and MA over the coming weeks.
The best case scenario to mitigate potential flooding is for the snow and ice to melt gradually over an extended period of time without significant rainfall. However, the spring season is typically very active, with multiple storm systems crossing the country. The exact strength and timing of these rain storms will determine the severity of flooding over the next 1-2 months.
