ELI5: Why does Washington get more floods in winter than in summer?

Imagine your bathtub. Think of Washington state like a big bathtub, and the water that fills it is the rain and snow.

• Winter is like turning on the faucet really high for a long time! We get a lot of rain, sometimes even snow melting from the mountains. Plus, the ground is already soaked because it's been raining for months. It's like the bathtub is almost full before you even turn on the faucet. Also, sometimes the air gets warmer, and that melts all the snow in the mountains really fast, adding even MORE water to the "bathtub." This extra water has nowhere to go, so it overflows – that's a flood!

• Summer is like turning the faucet on very low and maybe even letting some water out with a drain. It doesn't rain as much, and the sun helps dry things out. The ground is drier, so it can soak up any rain that does fall. It's like the bathtub is almost empty, so even if you turn the faucet on a little, it won't overflow.

• We get a lot more rain.
• The ground is already saturated (full of water).
• Snow melts quickly, adding even more water.