Winter, Interrupted [viz]

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In 2010 and 2011, North America had two snowy winters, punctuated by monster storms that shut down cities from Denver to Washington DC. But this year saw fewer big storms, and by early March areas of the U.S. usually still dressed in white were mostly bare due to below average snowfall and above average temperatures that made this the fourth warmest winter on record. The heavy snows in 2010 were partly caused by El Niño, which drew moisture from the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico that froze above the lower 48 states upon contact with sinking cold air from the Arctic. However, La Niña conditions in 2012 resulted in the Pacific Ocean's moist air being pushed to the far North, where storms dumped near-record snowfall in Alaska. The visualization is based on data collected by NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites, to see how snow cover has varied over North America from July 2009 to March 2012.

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
Alaska true-color satellite image courtesy of NASA/GSFC/Jeff Schmaltz/MODIS Land Rapid Response Team

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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MSPdude, ♫ Lion ♫, ohio2kentucky, and 71 other people added this video to their favorites.

View 2 more comments

  1. Unlucky_Alf [deleted] 15 months ago | reply

    Fascinating to watch

  2. Child of the King Photography 15 months ago | reply

    Very interesting!!! Really enjoyed viewing it!!
    --
    Seen in my contacts' photos. ( ?² )

  3. thisisbossi 15 months ago | reply

    Very neat video! I'd love to see other continents, as well.

  4. Smile Moon 15 months ago | reply

    Wow. That's a great compilation of visual data! Thank you!!

  5. Johara L.ebrahim 15 months ago | reply

    nice

  6. dodagp 15 months ago | reply

    Magnificent video and work !!!!!!!

  7. Victor Mui 15 months ago | reply

    this is amazing!

  8. █ fo112 █ 15 months ago | reply

    Lovely!

  9. Cristyjan 15 months ago | reply

    Fantastic

  10. :SARA_be: 15 months ago | reply

    Fantastische Aufnahmen klasse Arbeit !

  11. pecovgfx 15 months ago | reply

    thank you!!

  12. Salaatti 15 months ago | reply

    Just amazing!

  13. Keiyo2 15 months ago | reply

    Very cool.

  14. DiamantThomy 15 months ago | reply

    Nice

  15. Elvira QR 15 months ago | reply

    Menos nieve
    Menos agua
    Más calor
    Más sequía
    Más problemas
    Más dolor

  16. Andrea Malnar Photography 15 months ago | reply

    Very interesting video, and it somehow tells me that the new ice age is ahead of us.

  17. WelcHome.Stef 13 months ago | reply

    Excellent!!!!

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