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NOUS41 KALY 111200
PNSALY
800 AM EDT Wed Mar 11 2026

The National Weather Service (NWS) Albany, NY has declared March
8 through March 14 as Flood Safety Awareness Week. Each weekday
during the awareness week will feature information about a different
flood related topic. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter / X for
safety and preparedness messages throughout the week. Be a force
multiplier and share our social media information with your friends
and family!

https://www.facebook.com/NWSAlbany

https://twitter.com/NWSAlbany

Here in the Northeast, flooding can happen any time of the year
with a number of different causes. Flooding can occur with prolonged
rainfall over several days, intense rainfall over a short period
of time, or when water from an existing source is quickly released,
for example rapid snowmelt or a dam or levee break.

Storms can bring heavy precipitation to our area any time of year
and result in flooding.  Tropical systems and noreasters can bring
the added threat of storm surge related coastal flooding.
Thunderstorms can bring short duration very heavy rainfall and result
in flash flooding.  Antecedent conditions, if we have been wet or dry,
play a large role if flooding occurs and the severity of the flooding.

Flooding due to snowmelt most often occurs in the spring when warming
temperatures quickly melt the snow. The water runs off frozen or already
 saturated ground into nearby streams and rivers, causing them to rise
rapidly. Additionally, winter and spring bring the threat of ice jam
flooding. When river ice breaks up, moves and then is stopped by a
bridge or bend in the river, this is called an ice jam. Water can back
up behind the ice jam, causing flooding, and when the ice jam eventually
releases, a wave of water and ice may also cause flash flooding downstream.

More information about these and other flood hazards in your state can
be found on the NWS flood safety website at
https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-map.

$$