Thursday 11 December 2008

Lake Effect Snow

Lake Effect Snow

Lake effect snow is caused when very cold air flows over the relatively warmer water of a large lake.
Lake effect snow is produced when cold Arctic air moves over relatively warm, moist expanses of lake water, picking up water vapour which is then deposited as snow to the lee of the lakes.
Lake effect snow is difficult to forecast and snowfall can vary significantly at locations just a few mile apart.
Lake effect snow is caused by the temperature contrast between cold air moving over warm water. A brief period of lake effect snow is also common near Great Bear Lake and Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories during early winter (usually early to mid October), however the lake effect season for both lakes is very short.
Lake effect snow is produced when cold dry winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, picking up water vapour which freezes and is deposited on the downwind shore.

Snow flurries -- Light snow falling for short durations.
Snow squalls -- Intense snow showers accompanied by strong, gusty winds.
Snow Showers: Snow falling at varying intensities for brief periods of time.
Snow squalls are best known in the Great Lakes region.
The areas affected by lake-effect snow are called snowbelts.
The same effect over bodies of salt water is called ocean effect snow, sea effect snow, or even bay effect snow.
The biggest snowbelt in the United States would be the snowbelt in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan, near the cities of Houghton, Marquette, and Munising. These areas average over 250-300 inches (-512 cm) of snow a season.
Lake-effect snow contributes to approximately 6-8 snowfalls per year in Salt Lake City, with approximately 10% of the city's precipitation being contributed by the phenomenon.
In Northern Europe, cold, dry airmasses from Sweden can blow over the Baltic Sea and cause heavy snow squalls on areas of the southern and eastern coasts.
Once the lake surface cools to near 32 degrees F in the late winter, the lake effect snow mechanism weakens considerably, and if the lake freezes, it stops altogether.



Mark Boardman BSc dip.hyp is a leading author and expert on the climate. For more information about href="http://www.agloriousfuture.com/lakeeffectsnow.php">Lake Effect Snow. or a look at href="http://www.agloriousfuture.com">World Weather, go and look at these sites.
Mark Boardman BSc dip.hyp is a leading author and expert on the climate. For more information about href="http://www.agloriousfuture.com/lakeeffectsnow.php">Lake Effect Snow. or a look at href="http://www.agloriousfuture.com">World Weather, go and look at these sites.

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