As the seasons shift and nature begins to bloom, the transition into spring, though eagerly anticipated for its warmer weather, ushers in a notable rise in spring showers. These storms can sometimes last for days or dump several inches of rain in a short period of time, leading to severe flooding, as well as many other complications such as mold and erosion, according to content.govdelivery.com, connectconsulting.biz, and cvc.ca. These small issues can then cause serious health risks to residents, requiring costly renovation efforts. With the potential for such widespread impact, what seems like a refreshing spring rain can quickly turn into a serious public safety and environmental concern, according content.govdelivery.com.
Warming air largely causes April showers in the springtime. As the temperature rises, warm air rises from the ground forming rain clouds which trigger precipitation. The intensity of this process determines how heavy the rainfall will be. With climate change contributing to the warming of the planet, April has been progressively getting wetter, with an increase in both the frequency and intensity of showers, according to research.reading.ac.uk. While the official start to spring has not changed, the shortened winter season and earlier warming has resulted in a significantly wetter spring season, creating various issues within the environment, according to yahoo.com.
A major consequence of these heavy spring showers is flooding. In just a few hours, several inches of rain can lead to overflowing of levees, drains and dams, according to aonedge.com. If flood water enters a home and gets household items such as furniture, drywall and carpet wet for more than 24 hours, the air inside can become unhealthy, allowing mold to grow and creating serious health risks according to content.govdelivery.com. Experts also predict climate change to increase dampness and mold in buildings further exacerbating health risks. While experts cannot exactly predict the severity of health risks, they expect an increase in sick days in the United States (US), according to iaqscience.lbl.gov. Beyond an individual’s household and physical health, flooding also contributes to pollution and the erosion of soil, according to nationalgeographic.org.
Erosion, a process that picks up rain and transports it from one place to another by a powerful source such as wind or water, becomes particularly evident during the rainy spring months. Gardens, yards, and fields are especially vulnerable and areas with no vegetation suffer more as erosion completely destroys the land. This loss in topsoil not only harms the environment but also causes economic setbacks, as the loss of soil decreases crop production, according to cvc.ca. In some places they are losing the amount of topsoil that is expected for an entire year. This topsoil then goes on to run into rivers and streams, causing major pollution issues that many could easily avoid if people took proper conservation practices, according to ewg.org.
Pollution increases significantly during the rainy season, in early spring because the rain washes away snow and accumulated winter trash and pollutants. This runoff then flows directly into our lakes, rivers, and streams, according to newhopemn.gov. Accumulated in the runoff is trash, soil and sediment, bacteria, viruses, air pollution, oil and pesticides, introducing harmful substances into bodies of water water and causing the potential of dangerous algae bloom, the death of aquatic life, and contamination of water supplies, according to newhopemn.gov and cbf.org. Polluted runoff is one of the most harmful sources of pollution. As the amount of land covering parking lots, roads and driveways continues to grow, and as forests, meadows and wetlands begin to disappear. The effects of runoff pollution are long-lasting problems and are continuing to effect not just the environment, but also the health of individuals, according to newhopemn.gov. Ms. Alyson Tockstein, Upper School Science Teacher, commented on the environmental impacts these spring showers bring.
“Soil erosion is a big one,” she said. “There is also the risk of increased runoff pollution, especially in areas that might have salt, or other treatments on the roads for ice. In areas that have more mild temperatures year round it can increase the pollution and nutrients in the water. Increased nutrients might sound like a good thing but they are a direct cause of algal blooms. Some of which can be harmful.”
Featured Image by Eloise Liggitt ’26
