diff --git a/env/HERA.env b/env/HERA.env
index 09743967b55..a7270aaa5e7 100755
--- a/env/HERA.env
+++ b/env/HERA.env
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ if [[ "${step}" = "prep" ]] || [[ "${step}" = "prepbufr" ]]; then
     export sys_tp="HERA"
     export launcher_PREP="srun"
 
-elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowobs" ]]; then
+elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowcover" ]]; then
 
     export APRUN_CALCFIMS="${APRUN_default}"
 
diff --git a/env/HERCULES.env b/env/HERCULES.env
index 9ec112c6992..809b82d1e91 100755
--- a/env/HERCULES.env
+++ b/env/HERCULES.env
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ case ${step} in
     export sys_tp="HERCULES"
     export launcher_PREP="srun"
  ;;
- "prepsnowobs")
+ "prepsnowcover")
 
     export APRUN_CALCFIMS="${APRUN_default}"
  ;;
diff --git a/env/JET.env b/env/JET.env
index dbc249d4d6e..dc7a5688355 100755
--- a/env/JET.env
+++ b/env/JET.env
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ if [[ "${step}" = "prep" ]] || [[ "${step}" = "prepbufr" ]]; then
     export sys_tp="JET"
     export launcher_PREP="srun"
 
-elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowobs" ]]; then
+elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowcover" ]]; then
 
     export APRUN_CALCFIMS="${launcher} -n 1"
 
diff --git a/env/ORION.env b/env/ORION.env
index 3b8053d060f..d5853fe5ad5 100755
--- a/env/ORION.env
+++ b/env/ORION.env
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ if [[ "${step}" = "prep" ]] || [[ "${step}" = "prepbufr" ]]; then
     export sys_tp="ORION"
     export launcher_PREP="srun"
 
-elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowobs" ]]; then
+elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowcover" ]]; then
 
     export APRUN_CALCFIMS="${launcher} -n 1"
 
diff --git a/env/S4.env b/env/S4.env
index 5d5ffd23b1b..d17e3bf452d 100755
--- a/env/S4.env
+++ b/env/S4.env
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ if [[ "${step}" = "prep" ]] || [[ "${step}" = "prepbufr" ]]; then
     export sys_tp="S4"
     export launcher_PREP="srun"
 
-elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowobs" ]]; then
+elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowcover" ]]; then
 
     export APRUN_CALCFIMS="${APRUN_default}"
 
diff --git a/env/WCOSS2.env b/env/WCOSS2.env
index cea24fb26bd..bafcb0b8c80 100755
--- a/env/WCOSS2.env
+++ b/env/WCOSS2.env
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ if [[ "${step}" = "prep" ]] || [[ "${step}" = "prepbufr" ]]; then
     export sys_tp="wcoss2"
     export launcher_PREP="mpiexec"
 
-elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowobs" ]]; then
+elif [[ "${step}" = "prepsnowcover" ]]; then
 
     export APRUN_CALCFIMS="${APRUN_default}"
 
diff --git a/jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOW_OBS b/jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOWCOVER
similarity index 90%
rename from jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOW_OBS
rename to jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOWCOVER
index 0e3557697dd..e208cd0362c 100755
--- a/jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOW_OBS
+++ b/jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOWCOVER
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/preamble.sh"
 export DATA=${DATA:-${DATAROOT}/${RUN}snowanl_${cyc}}
-source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/jjob_header.sh" -e "prepsnowobs" -c "base prepsnowobs"
+source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/jjob_header.sh" -e "prepsnowcover" -c "base prepsnowcover"
 
 ##############################################
 # Set variables used in the script
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ RUN=${GDUMP} YMD=${gPDY} HH=${gcyc} declare_from_tmpl -rx \
 
 ###############################################################
 # Run relevant script
-EXSCRIPT=${GDASSNOWPREPPY:-${SCRgfs}/exglobal_prep_snow_obs.py}
+EXSCRIPT=${GDASSNOWPREPPY:-${SCRgfs}/exglobal_prep_snowcover.py}
 ${EXSCRIPT}
 status=$?
 [[ ${status} -ne 0 ]] && (echo "FATAL ERROR: Error executing ${EXSCRIPT}, ABORT!"; exit "${status}")
diff --git a/jobs/rocoto/prepsnowobs.sh b/jobs/rocoto/prepsnowcover.sh
similarity index 91%
rename from jobs/rocoto/prepsnowobs.sh
rename to jobs/rocoto/prepsnowcover.sh
index 3f23bc16a55..6f4bf51a5f1 100755
--- a/jobs/rocoto/prepsnowobs.sh
+++ b/jobs/rocoto/prepsnowcover.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ source "${HOMEgfs}/ush/preamble.sh"
 status=$?
 [[ ${status} -ne 0 ]] && exit "${status}"
 
-export job="prepsnowobs"
+export job="prepsnowcover"
 export jobid="${job}.$$"
 
 ###############################################################
@@ -21,6 +21,6 @@ export PYTHONPATH
 
 ###############################################################
 # Execute the JJOB
-"${HOMEgfs}/jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOW_OBS"
+"${HOMEgfs}/jobs/JGLOBAL_PREP_SNOWCOVER"
 status=$?
 exit "${status}"
diff --git a/parm/config/gfs/config.prepsnowobs b/parm/config/gfs/config.prepsnowcover
similarity index 66%
rename from parm/config/gfs/config.prepsnowobs
rename to parm/config/gfs/config.prepsnowcover
index 20bdd89ddfb..12b97ca4705 100644
--- a/parm/config/gfs/config.prepsnowobs
+++ b/parm/config/gfs/config.prepsnowcover
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 #! /usr/bin/env bash
 
-########## config.prepsnowobs ##########
+########## config.prepsnowcover ##########
 # Snow Obs Prep specific
 
-echo "BEGIN: config.prepsnowobs"
+echo "BEGIN: config.prepsnowcover"
 
 # Get task specific resources
-. "${EXPDIR}/config.resources" prepsnowobs
+. "${EXPDIR}/config.resources" prepsnowcover
 
 export IMS_OBS_LIST="${PARMgfs}/gdas/snow/prep/prep_ims.yaml.j2"
 
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ export FIMS_NML_TMPL="${PARMgfs}/gdas/snow/prep/fims.nml.j2"
 
 export IMS2IODACONV="${USHgfs}/imsfv3_scf2ioda.py"
 
-echo "END: config.prepsnowobs"
+echo "END: config.prepsnowcover"
diff --git a/parm/config/gfs/config.resources b/parm/config/gfs/config.resources
index 79dbb487db3..e2769b1b283 100644
--- a/parm/config/gfs/config.resources
+++ b/parm/config/gfs/config.resources
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ if (( $# != 1 )); then
     echo "Must specify an input task argument to set resource variables!"
     echo "argument can be any one of the following:"
     echo "stage_ic aerosol_init"
-    echo "prep prepsnowobs prepatmiodaobs"
+    echo "prep prepsnowcover prepatmiodaobs"
     echo "atmanlinit atmanlvar atmanlfv3inc atmanlfinal"
     echo "atmensanlinit atmensanlobs atmensanlsol atmensanlletkf atmensanlfv3inc atmensanlfinal"
     echo "snowanl esnowrecen"
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ case ${step} in
     memory="${mem_node_max}"
     ;;
 
-  "prepsnowobs")
+  "prepsnowcover")
     walltime="00:05:00"
     ntasks=1
     threads_per_task=1
diff --git a/scripts/exglobal_prep_snow_obs.py b/scripts/exglobal_prep_snowcover.py
similarity index 81%
rename from scripts/exglobal_prep_snow_obs.py
rename to scripts/exglobal_prep_snowcover.py
index aa1eb1bb7de..2637546e7c3 100755
--- a/scripts/exglobal_prep_snow_obs.py
+++ b/scripts/exglobal_prep_snowcover.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
-# exglobal_prep_snow_obs.py
+# exglobal_prep_snowcover.py
 # This script creates a SnowAnalysis object
-# and runs the prepare_GTS and prepare_IMS method
-# which perform the pre-processing for GTS and IMS data
+# and runs the prepare_IMS method which perform
+# the pre-processing for IMS data
 import os
 
 from wxflow import Logger, cast_strdict_as_dtypedict
diff --git a/workflow/applications/gfs_cycled.py b/workflow/applications/gfs_cycled.py
index da78166ede5..b515bf7eb69 100644
--- a/workflow/applications/gfs_cycled.py
+++ b/workflow/applications/gfs_cycled.py
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ def _get_app_configs(self):
                 configs += ['prepobsaero']
 
         if self.do_jedisnowda:
-            configs += ['prepsnowobs', 'snowanl']
+            configs += ['prepsnowcover', 'snowanl']
             if self.do_hybvar:
                 configs += ['esnowrecen']
 
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ def get_task_names(self):
         gdas_gfs_common_tasks_before_fcst += ['sfcanl', 'analcalc']
 
         if self.do_jedisnowda:
-            gdas_gfs_common_tasks_before_fcst += ['prepsnowobs', 'snowanl']
+            gdas_gfs_common_tasks_before_fcst += ['prepsnowcover', 'snowanl']
 
         wave_prep_tasks = ['waveinit', 'waveprep']
         wave_bndpnt_tasks = ['wavepostbndpnt', 'wavepostbndpntbll']
diff --git a/workflow/rocoto/gfs_cycled_xml.py b/workflow/rocoto/gfs_cycled_xml.py
index eef77ba7fcc..1fb59c81e5d 100644
--- a/workflow/rocoto/gfs_cycled_xml.py
+++ b/workflow/rocoto/gfs_cycled_xml.py
@@ -24,6 +24,24 @@ def get_cycledefs(self):
         sdate_str = sdate.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")
         strings.append(f'\t<cycledef group="gdas">{sdate_str} {edate_str} {interval_str}</cycledef>')
 
+        if self._app_config.do_jedisnowda:
+            sdate = self._base['SDATE']
+            edate_snocvr = self._base['EDATE'].replace(hour=0, minute=0, second=0)
+            interval_snocvr = to_timedelta('24H')
+            assim_freq = to_timedelta("{self._base['assim_freq']}H")
+
+            is_warm_start = self._base.get('EXP_WARM_START', False)
+            first_full_cycle = sdate if is_warm_start else sdate + assim_freq
+            sdate_snocvr = (first_full_cycle if first_full_cycle.hour == 0 else
+                            (first_full_cycle + interval_snocvr).replace(hour=0, minute=0, second=0))
+
+            sdate_snocvr_str = sdate_snocvr.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")
+            edate_snocvr_str = edate_snocvr.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M")
+            interval_str = timedelta_to_HMS(interval_snocvr)
+
+            if sdate_snocvr <= edate_snocvr:
+                strings.append(f'\t<cycledef group="gdas_prep_snocvr">{sdate_snocvr_str} {edate_snocvr_str} {interval_str}</cycledef>')
+
         interval_gfs = self._app_config.interval_gfs
 
         if interval_gfs > to_timedelta("0H"):
diff --git a/workflow/rocoto/gfs_tasks.py b/workflow/rocoto/gfs_tasks.py
index 82dfb9f1d48..78582dc3241 100644
--- a/workflow/rocoto/gfs_tasks.py
+++ b/workflow/rocoto/gfs_tasks.py
@@ -563,21 +563,25 @@ def aeroanlfinal(self):
 
         return task
 
-    def prepsnowobs(self):
+    def prepsnowcover(self):
 
         deps = []
         dep_dict = {'type': 'task', 'name': f'{self.run}_prep'}
         deps.append(rocoto.add_dependency(dep_dict))
         dependencies = rocoto.create_dependency(dep=deps)
 
-        resources = self.get_resource('prepsnowobs')
-        task_name = f'{self.run}_prepsnowobs'
+        cycledef = 'gdas_prep_snocvr'
+        if self.run in ['gfs']:
+            cycledef = self.run
+
+        resources = self.get_resource('prepsnowcover')
+        task_name = f'{self.run}_prepsnowcover'
         task_dict = {'task_name': task_name,
                      'resources': resources,
                      'dependency': dependencies,
                      'envars': self.envars,
-                     'cycledef': self.run.replace('enkf', ''),
-                     'command': f'{self.HOMEgfs}/jobs/rocoto/prepsnowobs.sh',
+                     'cycledef': cycledef,
+                     'command': f'{self.HOMEgfs}/jobs/rocoto/prepsnowcover.sh',
                      'job_name': f'{self.pslot}_{task_name}_@H',
                      'log': f'{self.rotdir}/logs/@Y@m@d@H/{task_name}.log',
                      'maxtries': '&MAXTRIES;'
@@ -590,9 +594,17 @@ def prepsnowobs(self):
     def snowanl(self):
 
         deps = []
-        dep_dict = {'type': 'task', 'name': f'{self.run}_prepsnowobs'}
+        dep_dict = {'type': 'task', 'name': f'{self.run}_prepsnowcover'}
         deps.append(rocoto.add_dependency(dep_dict))
-        dependencies = rocoto.create_dependency(dep=deps)
+
+        deps2 = []
+        dep_dict = {'type': 'taskvalid', 'name': f'{self.run}_prepsnowcover', 'condition': 'not'}
+        deps2.append(rocoto.add_dependency(dep_dict))
+        dep_dict = {'type': 'task', 'name': f'{self.run}_prep'}
+        deps2.append(rocoto.add_dependency(dep_dict))
+        deps.append(rocoto.create_dependency(dep_condition='and', dep=deps2))
+
+        dependencies = rocoto.create_dependency(dep_condition='or', dep=deps)
 
         resources = self.get_resource('snowanl')
         task_name = f'{self.run}_snowanl'
@@ -613,8 +625,6 @@ def snowanl(self):
     def esnowrecen(self):
 
         deps = []
-        dep_dict = {'type': 'task', 'name': f'{self.run.replace("enkf","")}_prepsnowobs'}
-        deps.append(rocoto.add_dependency(dep_dict))
         dep_dict = {'type': 'task', 'name': f'{self.run.replace("enkf","")}_snowanl'}
         deps.append(rocoto.add_dependency(dep_dict))
         dep_dict = {'type': 'metatask', 'name': f'{self.run}_epmn', 'offset': f"-{timedelta_to_HMS(self._base['interval_gdas'])}"}
diff --git a/workflow/rocoto/tasks.py b/workflow/rocoto/tasks.py
index 92ceea73aa9..0408b3ea009 100644
--- a/workflow/rocoto/tasks.py
+++ b/workflow/rocoto/tasks.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class Tasks:
                    'eobs', 'eomg', 'epos', 'esfc', 'eupd',
                    'atmensanlinit', 'atmensanlobs', 'atmensanlsol', 'atmensanlletkf', 'atmensanlfv3inc', 'atmensanlfinal',
                    'aeroanlinit', 'aeroanlvar', 'aeroanlfinal', 'aeroanlgenb',
-                   'prepsnowobs', 'snowanl', 'esnowrecen',
+                   'prepsnowcover', 'snowanl', 'esnowrecen',
                    'fcst',
                    'atmanlupp', 'atmanlprod', 'atmupp', 'goesupp',
                    'atmos_prod', 'ocean_prod', 'ice_prod',