We are now halfway through meteorological winter, December through February, and many cities are still starving for snow. Some cities in the Northeast and Midwest have seen less than half the amount of snow that they would in an average season so far.

Below-average temperatures were seen across the East for much of November and , but December was mild compared to average for much of the country. Even with cold air in place at times, the snow just has not piled up.

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Most cities are below average for snowfall so far this season and many of the cities that have seen average or slightly above-average snowfall are those near the Great Lakes where there has been a significant amount of early season lake-effect snow.

Graph showing snowfall this season through January 16, 2015 compared to the average amount of snowfall expected season to date.

Snow Drought in the Northeast

and are more than 60 percent below average season-to-date for snowfall as more of the precipitation that has fallen this winter has been in the form ofrain. Boston has received just over 8 inches of rain since December 1 which is more than 2.5 inches above average. New York has also seen above-average rainfall since December 1, with just over 7.5 inches reported.

has only received 1.6 inches of snow through January 16, 2015 which is 25 percent of their average snowfall season-to-date. and have seen about half of the expected amount of snow so far this winter.

Lack of Snow in the Midwest Too

Parts of the Midwest are also experiencing less snow than an average season. has only received around 40 percent of their average snowfall season-to-date with 5.1 inches reported through January 16. and have also both seen about half of the expected snowfall so far.

Even some locations farther north have not seen as much snow as they do in a typical winter season. has reported just over 19 inches of snow which is almost 70 percent of what they would see onaverage,while has seen less than half of their average season-to-date snowfall. has seen even less snow than average as just over 25 percent of their average snowfall has fallen, with 6.9 inches of snow reported.

The lack of snow is very unusual in some locations, in Kentucky where there has been no measurable snow (0.1 inch or greater) recorded in or so far this meteorological winter (December through February). The one time in Louisville where both since records began in 1887. However, both locations did report snow in November.

Map above shows the frequent pattern with a northern flow and a southern flow across the U.S.

Typical storm tracks this winter season which has resulted in a lack of snow for many.

Why Is There A Snow Drought?

Given the lack of snow the question is then why? Basically, the weather pattern that the U.S. has seen so far this winter has just not been conducive for big snowstorms for most of the Midwest and Northeast.

According to The Weather Channel storm specialist Dr. Greg Postel:

"We appear to be stuck in a pattern that is driving the storm track close to the coast, if not all the way inland, and that is not the track you need to bring big snow into I-95 corridor. This instead brings snow to the ski resorts and interior New England. These locations have not seen the kind of snow drought that the coastal cities have."

The jet stream has frequently exhibited a "split flow" over North America this winter season. According to Dr. Postel, "This type of pattern features one branch coming in from the north and one from the southwest. And the confluence of these air streams over the Southern Tier has led to more rainy and icy setups in the South, rather than big snow storms in the cold air farther north.

Clippers have also been a frequent occurrence this winter in the northern branch of the jet stream. Clipper systems do not typically bring significant snowfall, usually just a few inches.

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Typical tracks in early 2010 which resulted in heavy coastal snow.

It also may seem like less snow to many considering some of the recent winters. 2009-2010 is another one of the snowy winters we have seen recently. In December 2009 and January 2010 Washington, DC saw more than triple the amount of snowfall compared to an average December and January. Chicago also saw significantly more snow than average that December and January with 29.9 inches reported when 19 inches of snow usually falls in an average December and January.

The 2013-2014 was also a winter with significant snowfall for many of the cities in the Midwest and Northeast. Last year at this time snow totals were more than 10 inches above average in Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Chicago.

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Cities with near to above-average snowfall so far this season through January 16, 2015.

Some Exceptions

There are a few places that have seen close to average or above-average snowfall. Most of these locations have benefitted from lake-effect snow or are in northern New England or parts of the South.

The area has seen above-average snowfall due to persistent lake-effect snow, including some locations near Buffalo that receivedin November. Early season cold outbreaks in October and November helped to develop the significant lake-effect snowfall.

has received more than 30 inches of snow, which is above-average and has also seen near average snowfall. has also seenaround30 inches of snow so far, which is also above average.

Chicago has actually seen just over 90 percent of their expected snowfall season-to-date. There hasn't been a big storm, however, and the most snow in a single calendar day has been 3 inches which fell on January 8.

Above-average snowfall has also been reported in where 6 inches of snow has fallen so far this season, which is more than Boston, Indianapolis and St. Louis have seen. has seen slightly above-average snowfall with just over 3 inches reported through January 16.

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