This is because it was compressed as it settled. As this process goes on, the snow layer becomes more compact, and the depth decreases even though there has been no melting. The daily snowfall totals for the winter in Fairbanks, up to March 35 when the accompanying picture was taken, added to 93 inches. This settling and compacting is typical for Interior Alaska. On the northwest and Arctic coasts of Alaska, the picture is much different.
Persistent wind packs the snow down much more tightly, and big snow drifts build up.
On the other hand, in the southern coastal areas of Alaska, wind storms and periodic rains compact the snow further, sometimes creating ice layers within the snowpack. An enlargement of the photograph of the Fairbanks snowpack revealed 33 separate layers of snow, each of which could be traced to snow storms or dry spells. Each snow storm during the winter adds a layer to the snowpack. In the spring, before melting begins, the snowpack reaches its maximum water content. In windy areas like the Arctic coast, wind-blown snow can lose a considerable amount of water by evaporation as it is moved about.