Lake Effect Snow (aerial)

[LMich]

I'm sure many of you that regularly vist Wikipedia saw this, today, but for those that haven't, here is a NASA aerial of Lake Effect Snow system over the Great Lakes in December of 2005.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/LakeEffect-Superior-Michigan-EO.jpg

These are the days where you literally believe that the clouds go on forever.

[Wheelingman04]

Chicago is totally clear because they are on the west side of the lake.

[Blitz]

Sweet, I'll be teaching a meteorology course in the summer and will definitely have to show my class this pic. We all know about what lake effect snow can do but the lake effect clouds are really what make our winters so dreary.

[James Bond Agent 007]

Yep I've seen this pic before but it's well worth a re-visit. Nature can be awesome. :cool:

[Cincinnatis]

Wow, that's amazing ... Cincy can easily get -5+ degrees below Fahrenheit during the winter, but we need precipitation.

On the great lakes, it snows when it wants to, without warning.

[Erieshore]

Until they freeze, which they sometimes do. Then were just like everyone else.

[MayDay]

"On the great lakes, it snows when it wants to, without warning."

No, there's plenty of warning. Forecasters can track the airflow patterns and once those winds take a northwesterly approach, we know to prepare for snow (well, a dusting to an inch on Cleveland's west side :) )

[Ex-Ithacan]

Holy snappin' arseholes, I hate that stuff. A light dusting at Christmas time is one thing, 2 feet around Thanksgiving is not right.

[mobyhead]

Very cool. Growing up in NW Indiana I saw my share of lake-effect snows. What's really cool is how those bands set up. One spot may see sunshine and within a few blocks they are in a white-out.

[Cincinnatis]

... dp ...

[Xing]

ThankYou. I hate arguing with people about why most of Chicago's snow is not Lake Effect. It's much easier to show them this.

[Cincinnatis]

"On the great lakes, it snows when it wants to, without warning."

No, there's plenty of warning. Forecasters can track the airflow patterns and once those winds take a northwesterly approach, we know to prepare for snow (well, a dusting to an inch on Cleveland's west side :) )

You know what I mean ;) ... Meterologist can see a front moving in from thousands of miles away.


Mobyhead, a few years ago I was watching the Weather Channel and they stated that some city in north Indiana (can't remember) received the most snowfall in the previous year. I remember thinking, I bet no one in the New England area or northeast would have guessed that.

[mobyhead]

You know what I mean ;) ... Meterologist can see a front moving in from thousands of miles away.


Mobyhead, a few years ago I was watching the Weather Channel and they stated that some city in north Indiana (can't remember) received the most snowfall in the previous year. I remember thinking, I bet no one in the New England area or northeast would have guessed that.

I lived in Valparaiso. We would dig snow tunnels in our backyard.

[Blitz]

No, there's plenty of warning. Forecasters can track the airflow patterns and once those winds take a northwesterly approach, we know to prepare for snow (well, a dusting to an inch on Cleveland's west side)

It's really hard to predict lake-effect snow because the bands are so localized. A snow band sat over London for 24 hours on December 8th and dumped 20 inches of snow but they had only predicted scattered snow showers. This is what we woke up to that day.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e211/mark_81/DSC04962.jpg

[mobyhead]

^^^^Looks like a cake.....
http://www.justaddguests.com/catalog/images/PineappleCoconutCake.jpg

[Michi]

I absolutely LOVE lake effect snow. When I was little, we use to get it all the time. There's just something about being burried in feet of snow, having school called off, and a bright sunny, cool day to go play in all of it. Knowing it's just temporary and you don't have to worry about the long term of it is the best part. Lake effect snow, where are you this year? :sly: