As of March 20th, Spring is finally upon us. With wintertime finally drawn to a close, homeowners are swapping out snow shovels and road salt for lawn mowers and flower pots. If there’s anything the Northern Hemisphere understands about springtime, it’s that one can expect lots of rain; and “April showers bring May flowers” is especially true this year. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts a “mild and wet” spring with “plenty of thunderstorms”, particularly in the central and eastern states of the U.S.; and while a good rainfall is good for plants and wildlife, storms can take a toll on homes, businesses, and our everyday lives.
In America, flooding is the most common natural disaster, often caused by the overflow of water from rivers, lakes, and coasts. Even a heavy storm is enough to set off a flash flood, covering streets, highways, and yards with water. But perhaps a bigger concern of the average citizen are dangerous driving conditions. During storms and even mild rainfall, visibility worsens, stopping times increase, and the risk of a traffic accident rises dramatically. The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration states that of the almost 6 million car crashes that occur each year, about one fifth are related to weather, the number-one cause being wet pavement and rainfall.
This rainy season, however, is not likely to be our last. With climate change and the warming of the planet, yearly rainfall is expected to steadily increase. According to studies conducted by NASA, rainfall could as much as double by the end of the century. With wet days ahead, it’s wise to prepare your home for any flooding and runoff that may occur by installing or updating outdoor drains, and protecting them with Drain Defender.
