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NOAA: US snow cover hits an 'all-time low' for November

It may be another sign of climate change.

TBGrant via Getty Images

Researchers just supplied more evidence that climate change-related temperature increases are having a material effect on the planet. America's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that snow cover in the lower 48 states is the lowest ever recorded for mid-November. As you can see in the map below, there's very little snow on the ground in the country -- you'd likely have to climb a mountain to see it. For contrast, the average snow cover between 1981 and 2010 reached as far south as New Mexico.

This doesn't rule out the possibility of a surprise snow dump, of course. However, it's not a great sign given a recent history of increasingly warmer winters. And it's not exactly heartening when the next White House administration isn't very receptive to climate science. Let's just hope this isn't a trend that continues for much longer.

November snow cover in the US, 1981-2010 average vs. 2016