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Why do many Caucasus rivers flood during spring and summer?

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Snow-covered peaks and ridges of the Caucasus Mountains in Russia stretch across the landscape under a pale sky. — Caucasus Caucasus Mountains in Russia.

Many rivers in the Caucasus region experience flooding during the spring and summer primarily due to the melting of snow and ice at higher elevations.12

In the Greater Caucasus and parts of the Lesser Caucasus, this meltwater initiates a flood cycle that can persist for up to six months. While many rivers in the region are characterized by this spring-focused flooding, rivers originating from the southern slopes of the Greater Caucasus are particularly noted for experiencing additional flooding during the summer months. Furthermore, in the eastern and central parts of the Caucasus, brief flooding caused by storms also occurs frequently.12