(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — As our weather continues to warm, the potholes continue to appear. While you might be swerving to miss them, have you ever wondered how they got there? FOX21’s Storm Team Meteorologist Megan Montero breaks it all down.

How potholes form:

Step 1: Water seeps in through cracks in the road, especially when it snows in winter, which collects underneath and softens the road base.

Step 2: As it gets colder, the water freezes and expands. The water eventually moves the pavement upward.

Step 3: As you drive over it, it adds extra stress to the already weakened pavement.

Step 4: Once we get drier weather like at the start of spring, water dissipates and leaves a hole under the pavement.

Step 5: As you continue to drive over the hole, the weight of your car causes more stress to the road surface, the road collapses and creates a hole. As more traffic drives over the hole, the hole gets bigger.