Nebraska Professor Awarded Grant to Study Rain’s Impact on Snow Melt and Flooding

University of Nebraska professor Tirthankar Roy has been awarded a five-year grant to lead what he describes as the most comprehensive study to date on how rain falling on snow can trigger catastrophic flooding. “The work that we are doing is to understand sort of the characteristics of rain-on-snow events, specifically looking into their flood-generating potential,” Roy told Nebraska TV.

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While rain-on-snow events occur worldwide, the study will focus on the Midwest, where the impacts and contributing factors can differ from other regions. Roy said the research will consider how economic and environmental changes such as drought, industrial development, and land-use patterns affect runoff once snow melts.

Roy pointed out that the 2019 Nebraska floods, the state’s most recent major flooding event , are a reminder of why better forecasting is critical. He told Nebraska TV that researchers sometimes analyze how conditions have shifted over time to identify potential patterns, and that the study’s findings could play a role in guiding future policy decisions.

Roy called the project “timely and impactful,” adding that its findings could transform our understanding of rain-on-snow events in the Midwest and beyond.