The agency's report, issued in March, found that a relative dearth of snow throughout the contiguous United States contributed to snow cover levels in North America being the fourth lowest since such records were first kept.

CNN: Anchorage breaks seasonal snowfall record

The blustery blast follows a mild winter that saw little snow and the warmest March on record.

CNN: Winter returns with a vengeance in U.S. Northeast

Snow and low temperatures caused a 3.8% drop in shopper numbers compared with March last year, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

BBC: Scottish shop sales defy poor March weather

More than a dozen rooftops have collapsed in the Anchorage area so far from accumulated snow, including one on March 2 at the Abbott Loop Community Church that is still being repaired.

WSJ: Winter Seems Eternal in Anchorage, Alaska

As a lifelong New Englander, she takes the snow in stride, but draws the line at storms after March 31.

WSJ: In snow-socked Northeast, spring seems far away

Mr Jones had to march for 17 weeks from Auschwitz to Austria during a harsh winter in which he was forced to eat snow to survive.

BBC: Loyal support of football fan, 91

Snow and low temperatures caused a 3.8% drop in footfall in Scottish shops compared to March last year, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) said.

BBC: High street shoppers run for cover