New Brunswick River Watch forecasters say the snow pack in the Saint John River basin is below average right now, but it’s too early to say what impact that might have on flooding this year.
Geoffrey Downey, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety, says the snow pack was above average last year, but there were very few problems following a number of years of record flooding.
Flooding in 2018 was some of the worst in recent memory.
Downey says the current weather forecast is good with warm days and cool nights to slow the snow melt.
He cautions that even with a gradual melt there is still the potential for floods caused by ice jams.
Downey says homeowners in flood-prone areas should ensure that water can drain away from their homes and that valuables aren’t stored in basements that have flooded in the past.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Mar. 22, 2021.