US Receives Its Lowest Early December Snow in 18 Years

People without calendar could mistakenly believe it's November or even October based on the color of their grasses.

Lowest Amount of Snow Coverage in US

According to statistics from the National Weather Service (NWS), just 6.0 percent of the contiguous United States is blanketed with snow as of Dec. 3.

This is the least amount of snow covering for this time of year since 2003 when tracking of the statistics on contiguous U.S. snow coverage began. In 2020, that number was 16.9%, while in 2019, over half of the country was blanketed in snow, with 45.4 percent of the country covered.

It's not only that many parts of the nation have yet to experience the typical snowfall. On the other end of the temperature scale, several parts of the country are experiencing historically warm weather, with some regions setting new records.

On Wednesday, high-temperature records for the month of December were broken throughout California, including in Palm Springs, where the daily record high was 91 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Accuweather.

On Thursday, records were broken throughout Texas and Kansas, including at San Angelo, Texas, where the previous record of 83 F was surpassed by a temperature of 85. On Friday, new highs were set in New Mexico, Arkansas, and the Southeast. Rosewell, New Mexico, achieved a new temperature record of 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson, the warmth will continue to spread east over the next few days, putting temperature records in jeopardy in places like Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Lubbock, Arkansas, and Texas to name a few.

Hope For a White Christmas

Residents in lower latitude states and the country's heartland may be disappointed if they're hoping for a picturesque Christmas morning, as AccuWeather long-range meteorologists pointed out in the 2021 edition of the annual white Christmas prediction.

In Denver, AccuWeather National Reporter Tony Laubach said he wouldn't mind losing out on a white Christmas, partly because he lived in less snowy locations for so long. However, in hot Texas, one weather aficionado, Jackson Desmond of Mansfield, Texas, is pursuing a different goal.

He pointed out that though the odds are slim, he still hopes for a white Christmas since it would be the first in DFW since 2011. Desmond wrote in a message, adding that although the weather this winter hasn't completely ruled out snow adnd it seems that chances will most likely be after Christmas.

Regions Receiving Snow

Residents living near the Great Lakes may be surprised to hear this news, given the recent severe lake-effect snowfall.

The snowfall was particularly thick in sections of eastern Wisconsin, resulting in many snow days in densely populated regions. On Nov. 30, a high of 7 inches of snow was reported in Mountain, Wisconsin, enabling local winter sports lovers to begin the ski season at surrounding slopes.

Lake-effect snow fell across areas of northern Michigan during Thanksgiving weekend, adding to the drama of several high-stakes, late-season football games.

The game between Michigan State University and Penn State University in East Lansing, which was settled by a field goal, was played under constant snowfall, with the field almost completely covered from the first kickoff.

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