Interglacial Daze
Notes
Northern Hemisphere Snow Cover graphics courtesy of the National Ice Center formerly the NOAA Satellite and Information Service. Pictures are available since 1997, but due to format changes, the animation on the right hand side starts from 1999. The animation displays north pole coverage for the same day from 1999 up until last year, and the left hand side shows the most recent picture from the NIC.The day being animated can be changed using the set date button above. Dates in September or October give the best, 'Is that the North Pole, or a blob of ice cream in hot water?', experience.
Note, the Earth is currently in the later stages of an inter-glacial period, and has experienced alternating glacial and inter-glacial periods for the last half million or years or so. This is believed to be due to the location of the continental masses in the northern hemisphere in conjunction with axial tilt.