New England has a long history of severe weather events. Floods are the most common and costly hazard to affect New England. Most communities have experienced floods after spring rains, thunderstorms, hurricanes and winter snow thaws.
Floods can develo p over a period of days or, in the case of flash floods, very rapidly.
All types of flooding can be life threatening. New England is susceptible to flooding because of its large coastline, major rivers, and large urbanized areas. This includes river flooding, coastal flooding from Nor'easters and hurricanes, and urban flooding from runoff that cannot be absorbed. Throughout history, New England has experienced significant and recurring flooding. The Spring Floods of 1936 affected all of New England.