In
hydrology,
snowmelt is
surface runoff produced from melting
snow. It can also be used to describe the period or season during which such runoff is produced. Water produced by snowmelt is an important part of the annual
water cycle in many parts of the world, in some cases contributing high fractions of the annual runoff in a watershed. Predicting snowmelt runoff from a
drainage basin may be a part of designing water control projects. Rapid snowmelt can cause
flooding. If the snowmelt is then frozen, very dangerous conditions and accidents can occur, introducing the need for
salt to melt the
ice.
