The Lake Effect snow machine is cranking and they will measure snow in feet in Northern and Western New York this weekend. Weather people are saying the Lake Effect snow bands will dump more than 70 inches in favored areas of New York. This is early for the Lake Effect snow to start but it is a phenomenon that occurs whenever cold air blows over large bodies of water.
Though we hear about the prodigious snow machine in the Great Lakes, such snow can occur anywhere there is warm water and cold air. It is fair to wonder whether the Great Lakes should be plowed under. Those lakes have record warm water and there is Arctic air moving across them. In this article, we will review the necessary conditions for Lake Effect snow, some of the most favored areas around the Great Lakes, and highlight other areas that can get so-called Lake Effect snow.
Necessary Conditions For Lake Effect Snow
There must be certain conditions for Lake Effect snow to occur. First, the air moving over the lake must be at least 16 degrees Celsius colder than the water. With the climate warming, bodies of water everywhere are warmer than they used to be. This increases the likelihood of Lake Effect events.
Second, the air must be moving over the body of water preferably by the wind. The colder the air relative to the water, and the faster the wind, the longer the “fetch” that is the length of the snow band that sets up coming off the body of water. As long as the wind keeps blowing in the same direction off the water and the air maintains at least 16 degrees Celcius below the temperature of the water, the snow will persist. All precipitation ends when the body of water freezes. In this case, the air does not pick up the moisture from the water.
Some Lake Effect Records From Around the World
The areas in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio to the east of the Great Lakes get feet of snow. The Great Lakes are, by far, the most prodigious snowfall makers in the world. The most prolific is Lake Ontario. There are some impressive snowfall records from there. In 30 minutes on December 2, 1966, Copenhagen, New York got six inches of snow.
Copenhagen, New York is located on the famous, infamous actually, Tug Hill Plateau. Lake Effect snow can occur anywhere and the 21-hour record for snowfall occurred in Silver Lake, Colorado with 75.8 inches. Lake Effect Snow can occur anywhere in the world where there is a body of water. It can occur off oceans as well.
Fun Sports In the Snow
It may be difficult to travel to games when a lot of snow falls, but it is fun to watch sports on television that take place in heavy snowfall. This is often the case with professional football, a sport that takes place outdoors and plays in all kinds of weather. The forecast is 4-5 feet of Lake Effect Snow for the football game between the San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills. There is sometimes a bunch of snow in Buffalo in December and this will be the case on Sunday, December 1. The Bills may have the best player in professional football in Quarterback Josh Allen.
Conclusion
It is the case that as the climate warms water will be warmer and cold snaps will result in heavy, paralyzing, snowfall records. There is a likelihood that the Great Lakes will continue to warm and when cold air moves across them they will produce heavy snowfall. It is odd, perhaps, that the heaviest Lake Effect snowfall events occur around Thanksgiving. That is when the water is warmest, early in the season. It is also likely that as the climate warms bodies of water will be warmer and when cold air moves across them there will be a lot of snow.
