Snow Coverage Depths

I was curious how the snow cover is doing in the United States this year compared to last.  The current snow coverage map is below. 

Area Covered By Snow:	19.6%
Area Covered Last Month:	4.7%
Snow Depth
Average:	1.3 in
Minimum:	0.0 in
Maximum:	1343.3 in

 Grand Marais                            9.0 in (measured 11 miles south of town)

As compared to last year at this time, we have a bit more snow.  The maps below show the snow cover the end of November in 2012 on the left and 2013 on the right.

We will have to have a very snowy December to catch up with last year.  On January 1st of 2013, 67 percent of the contiguous U.S. was covered by snow.  This is the most snow seen the first day of 2013 seen on Jan. 1 in the past ten years.

(Note: Percentages of snow coverage have only been calculated since 2004.)

The previous record was set in 2010, when the new year saw 61 percent of the U.S. beneath snow.

CITES:
http://www.climate4you.com/SnowCover.htm#Recent northern hemisphere snow cover
http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/
http://www.intellicast.com/Travel/Weather/Snow/Cover.aspx
 http://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nearest/index.html?city=Grand+Marais%2C+MI