AROOSTOOK COUNTY, Maine — Flooding season has residents in the County bracing for all of the snow they saw this winter to melt.
The County is at an elevated risk for flooding, which means emergency officials are being more aggressive in their preparedness.
The elevated risk is due to the amount of snow on the ground from the previous season.
It changes the way emergency officials prepare for floods.
During this time of year, officials watch out for ice jams, and the release of water still in the ice pack.
Aroostook County Emergency Management director Darren Woods said river ice could have melted, but there could still be flooding just from water released from the snow pack.
It's dependent on precipitation and how quickly the temperature warms. For example, last year saw a lot more lake flooding than Woods expects this year.
Road closures have already taken effect in the Island Falls area of Southern Aroostook County, where Maine Department of Transportation crews were out working with affected residents earlier this week.
The Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency has been preparing for flood season since February, posting warnings on its Facebook page, and getting the word out to residents.
"We're still seeing vehicles that don't heed the warnings," said Woods. "Even though the road surface may even look like it's there, it may just be surface tension that's holding the pavement but underneath there might not be any structure so your car could just go right down through. You just have to be safe and heed the warnings. Turn around, don't drown."
It's a catchy phrase that can be the difference between life or death in a flood.
Flooding season typically runs from April through half of May but Woods said it's also dependent on other, seasonal factors.