PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Even though it might not feel like it, spring is right around the corner for people living in the northern hemisphere.
While many people look forward to spring because of the mild temperatures and later sunsets, the changing of conditions could be problematic for residents living along the Susquehanna River.
Charles Ross, a Senior Service Hydrologist from the National Weather Service in State College, says right now, the Susquehanna River is in a quiet state.
That will almost definitely be changing with a much more active pattern coming next week and high temperatures plummeting into the 20s.
Ice on the river is not as much of a problem during the winter in Pennsylvania as it is in the spring, when temperatures start trending warmer.
Melting ice and snow, brings increased water levels along the river. But it takes more than that to cause major flooding.
Charles says that it really just depends on how the other things play out. Do we have river ice? Do we have a lot of local heavy rain? Do we have water coming in from all of the side flows such as Swatara creek and Yellow Breeches? Ultimately, there are plenty of factors that go into whether flooding is possible.
Even with this quiet pattern, Charles urges everyone, especially those along the Susquehanna River to monitor river conditions closely.