BUSKIRK, N.Y. – With the changing of the seasons come warmer weather, but the sudden rise in temperature can lead to flooding from melting ice jams.
Most of the Capital Region is safe from major flooding; however, areas tot eh north are at a greater threat of ice jams.
A slow dribble can quickly become a raging river if an ice jam breaks and water comes rushing down stream.
Dennis Flynn is a volunteer weather spotter for the National Weather Service.
“You can have ice jams certainly through March and even into April,” he said.
Flynn monitors ice jams and flooding along the Hoosic River.
“You don't know when it's going to come and when it's going to go,” he said. “Sometimes it can hang around for days.”
Flynn said most of the area is not in danger because most of the ice has moved down stream.
“It has dissipated and moved out,” he said.
But farther north could still be at risk.
“What ice jams do is it causes immediate flash flooding,” he explained.
Flynn said when the solid ice in an ice jam loosens, it moves down and will reform further down stream.
“It's when that stops that the water will back up quickly and cause the flooding; the flash flooding,” he said. “But as long as it keeps flowing it doesn't cause any major problems.”