snowmelt

[snoh-melt]

noun

1. water from snow that is melting or has melted.

2. the amount of such water.

snowmelt

/ ˈsnəʊˌmɛlt /

noun

1. water produced by the melting of snow

Word History and Origins

Origin of snowmelt¹

First recorded in 1925–30; snow + melt ¹

Example Sentences

Heavy rain combined with enormous snowmelt sent a wall of water surging down the Yellowstone River.

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But this year, the snowmelt runoff in the river’s upper basin was only about 70% of the average.

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Rather, the most significant factors shoving fire season forward are climate-related, they found: an earlier snowmelt and increased drying of soils and flammable vegetation as average temperatures rise.

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Mono Lake, located east of Yosemite National Park, is replenished by five creeks that carry snowmelt cascading from the Sierra Nevada.

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The Mono Lake Committee and other environmental groups have urged the city to reduce reliance on Sierra snowmelt through efforts closer to home, including recycling wastewater, capturing stormwater runoff and cleaning up contaminated groundwater.

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