KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- Over the past few months, the region has dealt with several rock slides, rock falls, and mud slides, with the weather and terrain of East Tennessee playing major parts.

More than 3 months after a major rock slide shutdown a section of Interstate 40, in North Carolina near the Tennessee border, clean up efforts continue.

But, this is just one of several slides the region continues to deal with.

"The land slides we have had in the last several months, are related to the high rainfall we've had," says Professor of Geology at UT, Dr. Bob Hatcher.

Dr. Hatcher says the steep slopes around the region, partnered with above normal rainfall, continues to bring down rocks, debris, and mud.

He says, "What happens is the water saturates the ground, it loads up the ground and if there's a weakness zone within the rock, then that produces a very high probability of a rock slide."

A drop in temperature, can also add to the likelyhood of a slide, "It causes the water in the fractures to expand, and of course that opens up weaknesses in the material even more," says Hatcher.

Dr. Hatcher says Geologists and Engineers watch for areas likely to have a slide, adding, "They have studied I-40, from Tennessee into North Carolina for many, many years, and they have known ever since they built that highway, that that is an area very susceptible to land slides."

And, if they can, he says they stabilize the area, or get the rocks out, before they come down.

Dr. Hatcher says as long as we continue to have rain, at the rate we have, we'll continue to see more slides in the region.

So be careful on the roads, when you know we've had recent rain.

And, the North Carolina Department of Transportation, estimates the interstate could be fully reopened sometime in March, depending on weather conditions between now and then.

And, a decision on any partial opening of the highway will be made as work progresses.