They appear before the flowers bloom.

They are fed by road salt in the winter and begin to appear after the short warm spells that tease the arrival of spring.

They are potholes, that annual curse on motorists and municipalities.

The onset of potholes is something that is not to be taken lightly. They happen every year, and every year they become an increasing problem as motorists play dodge-the-hole in an effort to prevent damage to their vehicles.

It can be a dangerous situation as drivers try to avoid potholes, sometimes swerving into the paths of oncoming vehicles or possibly losing control after hitting a pothole.

Drivers in the tri-state area already have started to see some of the worst potholes of the season. Some streets and roads seem to have disappeared in a conglomeration of craters that jar and jolt cars and trucks, causing extensive damage. It doesn’t matter what road you travel — Sunset Boulevard in Steubenville, Pennsylvania Avenue in Weirton, state Routes 43 and 7 in Ohio or 2 in West Virginia, U.S. 22 or just about any road in the region.

Bouts of snow, ice and rain this winter and the deep freeze we experienced have kept municipal road crews busy keeping our streets safe and passable. Now, their attention has turned to filling some of the worst potholes. In some cases, such as a large portion of Sunset Boulevard or Cadiz Road in Wintersville, temporary patches will have to do until long-anticipated resurfacing projects begin later this year.

It’s all part of the vicious winter-spring freeze-and-thaw cycle that our area experiences every year.

Drivers likely will see brief delays in their daily travels as crews take advantage of the warmer weather that is on the way to complete patching work. We hope motorists will remember workers will be doing their jobs in close proximity to moving vehicles and slow down in the work areas.

Until the weather gets warm enough for the major paving efforts to get started, we urge motorists to use caution and be alert to the dangers of potholes.