Mid February Snow Cover

Provided by: NOAA
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster; NOAA

The map above showing Northern Hemisphere snow and ice cover was derived on February 14, 2005, using NOAA visible and infrared satellite data. In Eurasia, the snow extent is close to the long-term February mean of 27.8 million sq. km, while in North America, the snow extent is somewhat less than normal (16.6 million sq. km) for this time of year. The northern Great Plains and much of the Mid-West are typically snow-covered in mid winter, but this February, much of America's heartland has been snow free. Note that Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Great Lakes, is nearly completely iced over.

Related Links:

• About Snow and Ice
• U.S. National Snow Depth Summary
• Northern Hemisphere Snow Charts