First Significant Lake Effect Snow Event of the Season!

Winter storm alerts are in place along the Great Lakes in anticipation of a prolonged lake effect snow event. Some areas may pick up 1-2' or more by Sunday morning! Winds may also blow, gusting to 35mph, only worsening whiteout conditions and drifting snow across the UP.

But what exactly is lake effect snow? Have you ever wondered how it forms or why one area may only see a couple of inches while a couple miles up the road has a foot? These are both great questions. Let's dive in.

The process of lake effect snow is really quite simple. Warm moist, unstable air rising off of the lakes rapidly cools and condenses into clouds as a cold arctic air mass moves in overhead. The clouds grow in height as more lake moisture is picked up. The clouds grow tall enough to start producing precipitation and, in this case, snow. What sets lake effect snow apart from most large-scale winter storms is the snowfall rates lake effect bands can produce! Having essentially unlimited moisture from the lake, these lake effect bands can produce dangerous white out conditions and snowfall rates in excess of 3" per hour at times! The Great Lakes of the North America have been named the "Lake Effect Capitol of the World" because nowhere else on earth do these ideal conditions come together as they do here.

Lake effect snow squalls can be very hazardous to motorists. For those who call the Great Lakes home, know this to be all so true. Motorists can experience extreme conditions changing instantly from sunshine to whiteout conditions with visibility measured in feet at times. It is very important to prepare ahead of time when planning to travel during lake effect snow events.

What can we do to prepare, one may ask? Great question! In the wintertime, it is very wise to have a vehicle preparedness kit with you. This kit can be made at home and includes items like blankets, emergency food, water, tow rope, and a first aid kid. Lake effect snow can be unpredictable, but so can other drivers on the road.

Here are some driving tips to remember for when driving in lake effect snow. Always slow down and increase your following distance between you and other motorists. While staying in your lane. Doing these things will help keep you and other motorists safe.

Lake effect snow is loved and enjoyed by many here along the great lakes. However, lake effect snow can become very dangerous if mishandled. So let's all do our part to be ready and safe not just over the next few days but over the course of winter 2024/2025.