It's been a stormy winter across the United States, with temperatures dipping below zero in more than 30 states, and heavy lake-effect snow unleashing blizzard conditions and storms in the East that ended a snow drought that had lasted more than 700 days. We still have more than a month before spring arrives.
It snowed in every state across the country this winter, including parts of the Gulf Coast where it rarely snows. Even parts of Florida had a taste of snow, although it was more of a “trace” with less than 0.1 inch of accumulation.
The list includes Alaska, which has an unusually snowy winter, and Hawaii, which has seen several bouts of snow on Mauna Kea, a mountain more than 13,000 feet high. It is not uncommon to see snow on the top of Hawaii's tallest mountain, although there is no snowfall at the lower elevations where the majority of people live and visit.
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It was a rapid rebound after December, a month in which North America saw its second-lowest snow cover since 1966 when record keeping began.
New York City saw snow accumulations of more than an inch for the first time in 700 days, a drought that ended on January 16. Despite the accumulation, the city is still about 10 inches behind the historical average snowfall for the season.
As of January 24, the highest seasonal snowfall amounts at NOAA's official snow stations include Juneau, Alaska, with 89.7 inches (7.5 feet); Anchorage, Alaska, 87.7 inches; Marquette, Michigan, 63.2 inches; and Buffalo, New York, where 52.9 inches of snow accumulated.
In most winters, 49 U.S. states see measurable snow except Florida. Measurable snow has been recorded in Florida in at least six of the last 14 winters, and like this winter, snow flurries have been recorded in the Sunshine State most years.
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