snowmelt

noun

snow·​melt ˈsnō-ˌmelt How to pronounce snowmelt (audio)
: runoff produced by melting snow

Examples of snowmelt in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meteorologists at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh office are tracking rapid snowmelt and river ice, warning that conditions could quickly change if temperatures rise and rain falls. Shelley Bortz, CBS News, 16 Feb. 2026 According to state water officials, roughly one-third of California’s total annual water supply hails from this snowmelt. Monica Garske, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026 Low snowpack and early snowmelt can affect vegetation, reduce surface and subsurface water storage and alter streamflow, all of which directly impact water management and planning across the West. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 5 Feb. 2026 Midwinter snowmelt events are occurring more often at higher elevations and earlier in the season across many mountain ranges of western North America. Agnes MacY, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for snowmelt

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of snowmelt was circa 1927

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Cite this Entry

“Snowmelt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/snowmelt. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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