The phrase
"snow extent" refers to the amount or area of land covered by snow. It tells us how much land is covered by snow during a specific time period or in a particular region.
Full definition
The scientists used satellite data to measure
snow extent over time and found that snow is melting 16 ± 10 days earlier in the 2000s compared with 1972 — 1999.
For example, we have seen the ice and
snow extent greatly decrease throughout the world, reflecting unprecedented rates of melting in modern time.
It is very likely that human activities have contributed to observed Arctic warming, sea ice loss, glacier mass loss, and a decline in
snow extent in the Northern Hemisphere.
The Rutgers University Global Snow Lab has daily, weekly and monthly data
for snow extent as well as data for the monthly departure from average.
March of 2011 had the
highest snow extent since 1985, but April decided to take a different approach.
The lab also has
seasonal snow extent data dating back to 1967 for the winter spring and fall in the Northern Hemisphere, Eurasia, and North American regions.
Tyrrell, N. L., Karpechko, A. Y., and Räisänen, P.: The influence of Eurasian
snow extent on the northern extratropical stratosphere in a QBO resolving model.
Satellites do
snow extent very easily; there are also satellite - derived data sets on snow water equivalent
If generally rising temperatures, decreasing diurnal temperature differences, melting glacial and sea ice,
smaller snow extent, stronger rainstorms, and warming oceans are not enough to persuade you -LSB-...]
Note: 12 - month running anomalies of
monthly snow extent are plotted on the 7th month using values from November 1966 to December 2017.
Fox News reported on the conference, describing how Taylor supposedly proved that «global cooling is already happening» because «This past «decade set a record for largest average
global snow extent».»
-LSB-...] «
Snow extent and sea - ice are also projected to decrease further in the northern hemisphere, and glaciers and ice - caps are expected to continue to retreat.»
Snow extent has fallen as well, though climate denialists argue otherwise by focusing on the winter months, while ignoring the spring and summer months.
Northern Hemisphere
snow extent: Regional variability 1972 - 1994.