Why does lake effect snow occur?

Lake Effect snow occurs when cold air, often originating from Canada, moves across the open waters of the Great Lakes. The air rises, clouds form and grow into narrow band that produces 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour or more. Wind direction is a key component in determining which areas will receive lake effect snow.

Is there Ocean effect snow?

Lake/Ocean effect snow occurs when cold polar or arctic air flows over a relatively warm water surface, generating convective snow bands over and downwind of a body of water. These snow bands can be quite narrow and intense, with snowfall rates of up to 15 cm/hr.

What is the difference between lake effect snow and regular snow?

There are two main differences between lake effect snowstorms and winter (low pressure) snowstorms: (1) LES are not caused by low-pressure systems, and (2) they’re localized snow events. As a cold, dry air mass moves over the Great Lakes regions, the air picks up lots of moisture from the Great Lakes.

What is necessary for lake effect snow?

Arctic air, necessary for lake effect snow, usually comes after a deep low-pressure center has passed through or near the Great Lakes region. Cold air usually moves through in the form of a high-pressure area behind a cold front. Snowfall regularly occurs in conjunction with a rising barometer.

Where does lake effect snowfall?

In the U.S. lake effect snow commonly occurs across northern Wisconsin, western Michigan, northwestern New York, northwestern Pennsylvania and the Great Salt Lake in Utah.

Is lake-effect snow wet or dry?

Lake-effect snow develops when cold, dry air, often originating from Canada, flows across the relatively warmer waters of the Great Lakes. As that cold air passes over the lakes, warmth and moisture from the water are picked up and transferred into the lowest portion of the Earth’s atmosphere.

How does snow affect lake ice?

Snow acts much like a blanket, insulating thin ice and preventing the formation of clear, blue ice. Snow can also hide cracked, weak and open water. Daily changes in temperature cause ice to expand and contract, creating cracks and possibly pressure ridges which can affect ice strength.

Why does lake effect snow cause heavy snow?

Lake-effect snow forms when cold, below-freezing air passes over a lake’s warmer waters. This causes some lake water to evaporate and warm the air. Then, the moist air moves away from the lake. In a very short period of time, up to 27 inches of heavy snow fell.

Is Lake effect snow wet or dry?

Where does lake effect snow happen?

Where does lake-effect snow happen?

Does lake-effect snow look different?

Basically, because of the gap between bands, lake effect snow can look very different depending on where you are. You could see clear skies in between a band, or you could experience heavy, potentially white-out conditions directly under a band.

What causes lake effect snow to form?

Lake-effect snow forms when cold air passes over the warmer waters of a lake. Water holds on to heat more than air. As a result, below freezing air often passes over much warmer water. This causes some lake water to evaporate into the air and warm it.

Why does it snow in the Great Lakes?

As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere. The air rises, clouds form and grow into narrow band that produces 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour or more.

How does water affect the temperature of a lake?

Water holds on to heat more than air. As a result, below freezing air often passes over much warmer water. This causes some lake water to evaporate into the air and warm it. This warmer, wetter air rises and cools as it moves away from the lake.

What caused the lake effect snowfall of December 5 2000?

Cold northwesterly wind over Great Lakes Superior and Michigan created the lake-effect snowfall of December 5, 2000. Lake-effect snow is produced during cooler atmospheric conditions when a cold air mass moves across long expanses of warmer lake water.