73.2% of the U.S. is covered by snow with 20 inches on the ground at O’Hare — both levels not seen since 2011

An estimated 73.2% of the contiguous United States was blanketed by accumulated snow, or snow cover, as of Feb. 16, according to NOAA’s National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center. That is the highest national coverage on record since 70.9% was observed on Jan. 12, 2011, according to WGN-TV chief meteorologist Tom Skilling.