Don Varnau, a custodian at Cordley School, blows snow from the sidewalk Friday near 19th and Kentucky streets. Another round of snow blanketed Lawrence early Friday morning.

Lawrence has received 20 inches of snow this year, the city’s largest amount of snowfall in the past seven years.

That’s a big difference compared with 2006 when Lawrence didn’t receive any snow.

“It was surprising to not see snow for a year,” said Jennifer Schack, 6News chief meteorologist. “It may seem high and is higher than we’ve seen the last couple of years, but it’s not uncommon.”

About half of the yearly total – 10.9 inches – fell just this month. But that still falls behind the December totals for 2005 when 11.5 inches fell and in 2004 when 14.5 inches accumulated.

However in neighboring Topeka, snowfall records were set this month. According to Beth Konop, a National Weather Service meteorologist, Topeka received 16.6 inches of snowfall in December, the second-most monthly snowfall since 1914.

“We’ve been in a really active weather pattern,” she said.

She said several cold fronts have triggered persistent precipitation.

And it’s not over. Local forecasters predict more snow is on the way.

“I’m sure we’ll likely see more in January and February,” Schack said.