CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Ahead of more rain this week, a look at why flooding can be underestimated during the cold season. Flooding can pose a big threat in winter when many people least expect it.
The cold, hardened ground does not take in rainwater in the winter as easily as it does in the spring and summer.
In the winter months, when a large weather system dumps heavy rain, flash flooding can occur more easily as it takes less rain to produce flooding.
Some of the main risks for flooding during the winter include:
Evaporation rates
Less sun means colder temperatures. On cold days, water evaporates but the rate is much slower than it would be on warm days.
Dormant vegetation
Dead or dormant plants are not using the water in the soil the same way they do at other times of the year.Frozen ground
Melting snow and ice can cause flooding during the winter.
Contact KJ Jacobs at kjacobs3@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.