NASA MODIS Image of the Day: April 5, 2011 – Snow in northern New England
An early spring snow fell across northern New England and eastern Canada on April 1, 2011.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Terra satellite captured this true-color image of the frosty landscape at 15:40 UTC (11:40 EST) on April 3, 2011.
Known as the “April Fool’s” snow storm, this system dropped clinging, heavy, wet snow across the region, bringing down trees and power lines in sections of New England. Multiple sources report that close to 50,000 customers lost power in Massachusetts and New Hampshire alone. Snowfall totals measured over 1 foot in many areas of New England. In this image, the broad St. Lawrence River appears nearly black due to the low reflectance of light from the surface of the water. Where the St. Lawrence narrows, the city of Quebec, Canada can be seen as a grayish –white area distinct from the snow surrounding it. Further south, the St. Lawrence forms the boundary between Canada and the United States as it empties into Lake Ontario. In the United States, eight states can be seen. From the north and east, they are: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Massachusetts, all carring a distinct snow cover. Rhode Island, Connecticut and Pennsylvania appear to be mostly snow-free.
