U.S Snow Cover Comparisons (snowfall, ice, record, days)

[Cambium]

4 days ago 16% of the country was covered by snow. 4 days later 33% was. Double the amount.

Meanwhile last year using the same dates, over half the country was covered with snow.

Source: IMS Products

[wavehunter007]

Interesting.

However, keep in mind, as I remember, Jan 2011 was the "all time record" for snow cover on the USA mainland since at least 1920.

It's not all that suprising that this year is so much less. It might be another 100 years before we see a snowcover map like 2011.

[Rozenn]

Wow in three days Indiana and Ohio went from 0% to 100% snow cover!

One can see that little snow at lower latitudes means more extensive ice at higher ones. The canadian arctic ice situation looks much better today than one year ago with this concentrated polar vortex.

[GraniteStater]

What is up with the 500mb height anomalies going way above average for the East by the end of the month again? I guess it's the downstream impacts from the eastern Pacific storm parade starting up again.

[Patricius Maximus]

The U.S. snowpack this year is pathetic, but I like the doubling .

[ilovemycomputer90]

January 2011...a not too distant fond memory.

I guess we've been spoiled the past couple years. Nature is balancing things back out, especially after a historic October snowfall here in the northeast.

[deneb78]

Got our first significant snowfall here in Vancouver on Friday night... seems to be sticking around for a while.

[Cambium]

Well... if anyone is watching around the great Lakes you will find out there are some significant totals. Believe it or not that snow pack will help a half degree or 2 to keep it cooler in O.Valley and N.East now.

34" in Perrysburg, NY. Over a foot in Many areas. Look at the totals!
National Weather Service Text Product Display


Then there's this someone posted in Ohio.
Unofficially 38 inches of snow in Painesville, OH and still f... on Twitpic

[Patricius Maximus]

Originally Posted by ilovemycomputer90

January 2011...a not too distant fond memory.

I guess we've been spoiled the past couple years. Nature is balancing things back out, especially after a historic October snowfall here in the northeast.

You haven't been spoiled, merely awakened to how weather should be, and just how distant all the other years were from your ideal. Go for it. Don't settle for less than perfection (advice that can apply anywhere).

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Patricius Maximus

You haven't been spoiled, merely awakened to how weather should be, and just how distant all the other years were from your ideal. Go for it. Don't settle for less than perfection (advice that can apply anywhere).

I like that... you're right.. "awakened". I always believe we lived in quiet times and that extreme events on this planet were probably once a common thing.

I also believe we started officially recording weather events in late 1800s because weather started becoming crazy. Just think..someone somewhere witnessed something weather phenominon and said "we need to start keeping track of all this"

I'll have an updated snow cover map tomorrow.