Snowmelt can cause slope failures on expressways in snowy regions. Meltwater from snow can weaken the ground and lead to landslides. A study looked at a slope failure on the Hokkaido Expressway caused by snowmelt. They did tests with snow blocks on sandy slopes and found that when snow melts, water drips down and can destabilize the slope. If the snow is only partially covering the slope, the meltwater can seep into the ground and cause a failure. This shows that similar processes can happen on natural slopes, like the one where the expressway slope failed.