| Term: | Breakup |
| Definition: |
The time when a river whose surface has been frozen from bank to bank for a significant portion of its length begins to change to an open water flow condition. Breakup is signaled by the breaking of the ice and often associated with ice jams and flooding. NOAAHydrology
Stage of the breakup season, or sharp break of the ice cover, followed by a massive departure of the ice, mostly in inland waters. WMOMeteoterm In hydrologic terms, the time when a river whose surface has been frozen from bank to bank for a significant portion of its length begins to change to an open water flow condition. Breakup is signaled by the breaking of the ice and often associated with ice jams and flooding. NOAA-NWS GCW |