Whether investigating hydrologic conditions, biogeographic issues or climate and global change studies, accurate and accessible information concerning snow extent, depth and water equivalent are extremely valuable. At Rutgers, we are developing a research-quality snow cover dataset in support of meso to macro scale studies related to snow cover. Information from multiple observing systems is being incorporated into this Northern Hemisphere continental dataset. Included are visible and microwave satellite data and surface observations. The analysis period runs from the late 1960s through present. High-resolution, digital files of snow extent will be spatially and temporally complete, while depth and especially water equivalent will have regions and intervals where data are not available. Included in the presentation will be a discussion of database development progress, the strengths and weaknesses of satellite and station techniques and several examples of applications using these data.