Patchwork snow cover across Minnesota clearly visible from space

Early spring is the time of year in Minnesota when snow cover patterns can be chaotic. It’s a time of melting snow and periodic new snow systems that drop swaths of snow in one part of Minnesota and leave other areas dry.

This month is a great example. Highs in the 60s earlier this month melted snow cover across big chunks of Minnesota. Then Monday’s snowstorm dumped fresh snow cover from the Twin Cities across much of southern Minnesota.

The result is a patchwork of snow and bare ground across Minnesota. Here’s the latest snow cover map for Thursday afternoon.

Minnesota’s varied snow cover pattern is clearly visible from space.

NASA’s MODIS Terra 1,000-meter resolution clearly shows the now mostly snow-free Twin Cities, with bright white snow cover to the south and west of the Twin Cities.

Bare ground is visible across northwest and north-central Minnesota, and from the Twin Cities toward Duluth along Interstate 35.

You can also see the remaining snow cover across northeast Minnesota lying under the forest canopy. You can also clearly see Minnesota’s still frozen lakes stand out in sharp contrast.

An even closer look at southern Minnesota reveals finer details in Monday’s fresh snow cover. You can see the snow cover just southwest of the Twin Cities. The brightness of the snow reveals the track of the Minnesota River. A closer look also shows numerous smaller tributaries feeding into the Minnesota River across southern Minnesota.

As the snow melts in the coming days, river and stream levels will rise across Minnesota. Soils will soak up some of that meltwater. This will help to ease dryness and drought conditions in many areas.