snow cover
Winter's white layer
Snow cover is the layer of snow on the ground at a given time.
Meteorologists and climate scientists track snow cover to monitor seasonal patterns, water resources, and climate change: Satellite imagery shows declining snow cover in the Arctic.
The term emphasizes extent and persistence rather than depth—how much ground is blanketed, and for how long.
Distance below surface
- accumulationCollected mass over time
- snowpackAccumulated mountain winter layers
- baseSupporting bottom structure
- inchesSmall length units
centimeters · survey · monitoring · satellite · extent · distribution · mapping · seasonal
Surface reflection coefficient
- reflectivityLight-bouncing capacity
- meltChange from solid
- runoffExcess water drainage
- watershedDrainage area boundary
hydrology · glaciation · permafrost · cooling · feedback · temperature · insulation · sublimation
Soft bed covering
- mantleCovering or wrap
- whiteAbsence of pigment
- pristinePure and untouched
- dustingRemoving surface grime
powder · crust · drifts · windswept · patchy · continuous · treeline · peaks
Organism's natural environment
- volesSmall burrowing rodents
- lemmingsArctic rodents symbolizing blind conformity
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
- dormancySuspended biological activity
overwintering · protection · microbial · decomposition · insulation · wildlife · tracks · browse
depth
Distance below surface
- accumulationCollected mass over time
- snowpackAccumulated mountain winter layers
- baseSupporting bottom structure
inches · centimeters · survey · monitoring · satellite · extent · distribution · mapping · seasonal · annual
albedo
Surface reflection coefficient
- reflectivityLight-bouncing capacity
- meltChange from solid
- runoffExcess water drainage
watershed · hydrology · glaciation · permafrost · cooling · feedback · temperature · insulation · sublimation · evaporation
blanket
Soft bed covering
dusting · powder · crust · drifts · windswept · patchy · continuous · treeline · peaks · slopes
habitat
Organism's natural environment
- volesSmall burrowing rodents
- lemmingsArctic rodents symbolizing blind conformity
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
dormancy · overwintering · protection · microbial · decomposition · insulation · wildlife · tracks · browse · forage
- Antarctic climatepolar climate, ice sheets, sea ice, blizzards, ice cap
- Cold Desertscold desert, Gobi Desert, polar desert, Antarctic, Gobi
- environmental dataair quality index, climate data, carbon dioxide level, ozone level, weather data
- Satellite ViewsGoogle Earth, Google Maps, aerial views, terrain maps, coastlines
- taigaboreal forest, taiga, spruce, coniferous forest, pine
- snowpacksnowpack, stratigraphy, facets, firn, densification
snow coverbare soil
Uncovered earth surface
bare rock · grass cover · leaf litter · mud · pavement
snow covergreen landscape
Natural area with plants
arid landscape · dry season · parched earth · drought conditions
snow covergrass cover
Planted ground vegetation
growing season · verdant landscape · lush vegetation · autumn leaves · forest canopy
cover, snow, recover, covering, covered, snowy, discovery, recovery, snowball