The onslaught of winter storms across the United States these past few weeks resulted in the most widespread snow coverage across the lower 48 since records began. And just as quickly, the snow has gone again.
Last Tuesday, February 16th, snow was on the ground in 73.2% of the lower 48, according to the National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center (NOHRSC). According to the NOAA, the last time the nation saw close to that kind of coverage was in Fall 2003, which is as far back as the records go. Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina were the only states without snow.
Yesterday, Tuesday 23rd February, snow was on the ground in 35.1% of the lower 48. What a difference a week makes!
The snow coverage swing has been quite spectacular – on January 22nd, only 26% of the lower 48 had snow on the ground. Winter storm Uri played a significant part in this, dumping snow deep into the south. Just three days before Uri went from coast to coast, only about half of the US was covered.
