How does snow melt

The lack of water stored as snowpack in the winter can affect the availability of water for the rest of the year. This can have an effect on the amount of water in reservoirs located downstream, which in turn can affect water available for irrigation and the water supply for cities and towns. The effect of snowmelt on potential flooding, mainly during the spring, is something that causes concern for many people around the world.

Besides flooding, rapid snowmelt can trigger landslides and debris flows. In alpine regions like Switzerland, snowmelt is a major component of runoff. In combination with specific weather conditions, such as excessive rainfall on melting snow for example, it may even be a major cause of floods.

In Switzerland, snowmelt forecasting is being used as a flood-warning tool to predict snowmelt runoff and potential flooding. In some parts of the world, such as in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, annual springtime flood events occur when rain falls on existing snowpacks, known as a "rain-on-snow event.

Some studies suggest that the amount of forest cover can have an influence on the magnitude of rain-on-snow events. In January , a combination of factors contributed to massive flooding in the northeastern United States.

Heavy snowfall followed by a sudden thaw and heavy rain caused floods along rivers from New York through Pennsylvania to Virginia, producing water levels not seen since a major hurricane, Hurricane Agnes, hit the area in June Major rivers in Pennsylvania and the Potomac River were affected. The raging rivers, sometimes jammed with ice, caused a number of deaths and required many people to evacuate their homes.

Ice blocks carried by the floodwaters exacerbated the damage done to buildings, bridges, and dams. Earth's water is always in movement, and the natural water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Water is always changing states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years.

The air is full of water, even if you can't see it. Higher in the sky where it is colder than at the land surface, invisible water vapor condenses into tiny liquid water droplets—clouds. When the cloud droplets combine to form heavier cloud drops which can no longer "float" in the surrounding air, it can start to rain, snow, and hail What is streamflow? How do streams get their water? To learn about streamflow and its role in the water cycle, continue reading.

For the water cycle to work, water has to get from the Earth's surface back up into the skies so it can rain back down and ruin your parade or water your crops or yard.

It is the invisible process of evaporation that changes liquid and frozen water into water-vapor gas, which then floats up into the skies to become clouds.

The atmosphere is the superhighway in the sky that moves water everywhere over the Earth. Water at the Earth's surface evaporates into water vapor which rises up into the sky to become part of a cloud which will float off with the winds, eventually releasing water back to Earth as precipitation.

The air is full of water, as water vapor, even if you can't see it. Condensation is the process of water vapor turning back into liquid water, with the best example being those big, fluffy clouds floating over your head.

And when the water droplets in clouds combine, they become heavy enough to form raindrops to rain down onto your head. You can't see it, but a large portion of the world's freshwater lies underground.

It may all start as precipitation, but through infiltration and seepage, water soaks into the ground in vast amounts. Drag a word to its definition. You have answered 0 of 3 questions correctly and your score is:. Want to add a little wonder to your website?

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Where does snow go when it melts? What is runoff? What are the steps of the water cycle? Wonder What's Next?

Keep the learning rolling along by checking out one or more of the following fun activities with a friend or family member: Is it Winter where you live? Is there snow on the ground? If so, get ready to do a simple experiment that will test your mathematical skills. Grab a tape measure and mark out an area in the snow that's in the shape of a square and measures 10 feet on each side.

Before you begin the experiment, make a guess about how much water you think exists in the foot square of snow. You'll want to measure how deep the snow is to help with your guess.

To test how much water is in your square in the form of snow, dig out a one square foot section of snow that's a square of snow that measures one foot on each side. Take that snow inside and put it in the bathtub. Make sure you put the stopper in the drain first! Let the snow melt and then use a measuring cup from the kitchen to measure how much water is in the tub. Multiply your result by to determine how much water is in the big square you marked outside.

How accurate was your guess? Did you know that you can also recycle snow on your own? It's true! When the snow falls, not only can you sled, have snowball fights, and make snowmen, but you can also use snow to make some delicious treats to share with your friends and family members. One of our favorite treats is to make Snow Ice Cream. Click on the link to check out a recipe for snow ice cream. Have fun making this super tasty treat the next time the snowflakes fall!

No snow on the ground right now? No problem! Grab a friend or family member and jump online to check out these fun science experiments that will help you learn more about how water changes states from a liquid to a solid or a gas: Creating Your Own Water Cycle Ice to Water to Steam.

Did you get it? Test your knowledge. What are you wondering? Wonder Words snow water cycle melt ice atmosphere dwindle runoff seep population saturated evaporation condensation precipitation vapor Take the Wonder Word Challenge. Join the Discussion. JTC Dec 18, Dec 19, Trinity Dec 18, Great question, Trinity! We're sure it varies depending on whether there is any snow. Xavier Nov 26, Dec 5, Cameron Apr 10, Apr 12, Trinity Dec 19, I did not know that snow would go somewhere when it melted!

Jan 12, Could you make a wonder about how tacos are made? Unknown Nov 17, Thats so easy dude. Jan 19, Jan 20, Awesome, Chisom! Thanks for being a good Wonder Buddy! Jan 11, I lved this, I never knew where snow went when it melted ;D. Jan 13, Oh whew! What a relief. Investigate TV. Gray DC Bureau. Breakdown: Why snow melt can be a long process. By Sagay Galindo. Updated: Feb. Share on Facebook. Email This Link. Share on Twitter.

Share on Pinterest. Share on LinkedIn. Here are other factors that can determine how fast snow will melt. Most Read. Non-custodial mother of 4 Memphis children at center of Amber Alert in custody. Two men sentenced in death of Panola Co. Emergency motion filed in Shelby County Schools masking debate.