Interception, or canopy interception, is when precipitation does not reach the soil, and is intercepted by some vegetation. It occurs in the canopy, and in the forest ground litter. Because of evaporation, interception of liquid water leads to loss of that precipitation for the drainage basin. Intercepted snowfall does not result in any notable amount of evaporation, and most of the snow falls of the tree by wind or melt. However, intercepted snow can more easily drift with the wind, out of the watershed. Conifers have greater interception than hardwoods. Their needles gives them more surface area for droplets to adhere to, and they have foliage in spring and fall.

Hydrology