SNOW: Building snowmen will not help with flood risk (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

SNOW: Environment Agency confirms building snowmen will not help with flood risk

10:15am Thursday 24th January 2013 in News By Ian Craig

BUILDING snowmen will not help reduce the risk of flood, the Environment Agency has confirmed.

Many news outlets had reported remarks by a spokesman from the organisation that building snowmen may help reduce risk of flood as compacted snow melts slower.

However, another spokesman confirmed this morning that this was not the case.

The agency clarified the position on a message on its Facebook page.

“Compacted snow does melt more slowly than untouched snow,” it read.

“However, while building snowmen is great fun, sadly it is unlikely to make a significant difference to the overall rate at which the snow melts.

“The most important thing anyone can do to protect themselves from flooding is to check out if they are in a flood risk area, and sign up to free flood warnings at environment-agency.gov.uk/flood”.