After parts of the UK went through their fifth big heatwave of the year last week, cooler and rainier weather has finally arrived. Even though we often look forward to rain after a hot spell, experts are sharing an important warning: very dry ground can sometimes make flooding more likely. When the soil is super parched, it gets very hard and doesn't soak up water easily. It acts more like a solid surface, so when a lot of rain falls quickly, the water just slides right off the top instead of sinking in. This can lead to flash flooding in some areas. Keep reading to learn more about how the ground behaves after a long, dry summer!