The featured chart compares soil temperature time series since 10 January for Ames and Sutherland (NW Iowa). For most of the plotted period, Ames had snow cover whereas Sutherland did not. The first noticeable difference is the more variable four inch depth values at Sutherland. Snow cover acts as a blanket for the soil both helping to keep heat in (warmer overall temperatures), but also reflecting much of the suns energy away from the ground surface (small to no diurnal cycle). For Ames, the snow cover meant much warmer temperatures in the soil as four inch temps only were slightly lower than 30 degrees at four inches while Sutherland got down into the teens. As the snow cover left over this past weekend for Ames with warmer air temperatures, you can see the quick response and also the very fast response at Sutherland.

Voting:
Good = 13
Bad = 0