Winter storm to open door for more frequent bouts of lake-effect snowfall
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jan 16, 2020 6:44 PM EDT
Besides a few bouts of cold air, lake-effect snow and storm systems since late in autumn, the winter season has been fairly quiet around the Great Lakes -- but forecasters say that is about to change as Arctic air will soon charge across the region with a staying power that could keep the lake-effect snow machine running at full speed.
A satellite image shows lake-effect clouds from the Upper Midwest to the interior northeastern United States on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (NOAA / GOES-East)
After a little taste of lake-effect snow, flurries and squalls in the wake of a fast-moving storm Thursday night, a longer duration lake-effect snow event is in store as a large storm departs the Midwest and Northeast into early this week.
"The pattern from later this weekend through the middle of this week will bring a real shot of cold weather, rather than the brief glancing blows of cold air the Great Lakes region has experienced so far this season," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.
Usually by this point of the winter, nearly one-quarter of the surface of the Great Lakes have frozen over, with the exception of lakes Ontario and Superior. However, the inconsistent cold weather and above-average temperatures have left much of the waters free of ice thus far this season.
"The ice coverage was only 5.2% as of Thursday, Jan. 16," Buckingham stated.
Meteorologists predict more episodes of lake-effect snowfall for areas downwind of the Great Lakes in the coming weeks as only 5.2% of the Great Lakes is covered by ice. (Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory National Ice Center)
Last year on Jan. 15, the overall ice cover was 9.3%, based on data from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Ice coverage tends to increase into March as water temperatures drop and cold air continues to flow over the region. The lowest maximum ice cover for the season occurred in 2002 with 11.9% at peak.
The relatively warm and open waters of the lakes will lead to towering clouds of moisture that will unload bands of heavy snow.
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Where bands of lake-effect snow persist to the southeast of lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario, upwards of a foot of snow can pile up with locally higher amounts from Sunday to Monday.
AccuWeather meteorologists warn that motorists could face a wide range of weather conditions when traveling along Interstate 75, I-79, I-80, I-81, I-86 and I-90 early in the week. Conditions are expected to vary from unlimited visibility and dry roads one minute to whiteout conditions and snow-covered roads the next.
Lake-effect snow is likely to persist early on Tuesday, but over progressively smaller areas.
Forecasters say that this round will not be the end of big lake-effect snowfall for the season, and rather it could just be a taste of what to come.
As new waves of Arctic air spin southward from Canada associated with a southward stretch of the polar vortex, more significant outbreaks of lake-effect snow are possible until the coverage of ice substantially increases in the coming weeks.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Winter Weather
Winter storm to open door for more frequent bouts of lake-effect snowfall
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jan 16, 2020 6:44 PM EDT
Besides a few bouts of cold air, lake-effect snow and storm systems since late in autumn, the winter season has been fairly quiet around the Great Lakes -- but forecasters say that is about to change as Arctic air will soon charge across the region with a staying power that could keep the lake-effect snow machine running at full speed.
A satellite image shows lake-effect clouds from the Upper Midwest to the interior northeastern United States on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020. (NOAA / GOES-East)
After a little taste of lake-effect snow, flurries and squalls in the wake of a fast-moving storm Thursday night, a longer duration lake-effect snow event is in store as a large storm departs the Midwest and Northeast into early this week.
"The pattern from later this weekend through the middle of this week will bring a real shot of cold weather, rather than the brief glancing blows of cold air the Great Lakes region has experienced so far this season," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.
Related:
Usually by this point of the winter, nearly one-quarter of the surface of the Great Lakes have frozen over, with the exception of lakes Ontario and Superior. However, the inconsistent cold weather and above-average temperatures have left much of the waters free of ice thus far this season.
"The ice coverage was only 5.2% as of Thursday, Jan. 16," Buckingham stated.
Meteorologists predict more episodes of lake-effect snowfall for areas downwind of the Great Lakes in the coming weeks as only 5.2% of the Great Lakes is covered by ice. (Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory National Ice Center)
Last year on Jan. 15, the overall ice cover was 9.3%, based on data from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory.
Ice coverage tends to increase into March as water temperatures drop and cold air continues to flow over the region. The lowest maximum ice cover for the season occurred in 2002 with 11.9% at peak.
The relatively warm and open waters of the lakes will lead to towering clouds of moisture that will unload bands of heavy snow.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Where bands of lake-effect snow persist to the southeast of lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario, upwards of a foot of snow can pile up with locally higher amounts from Sunday to Monday.
AccuWeather meteorologists warn that motorists could face a wide range of weather conditions when traveling along Interstate 75, I-79, I-80, I-81, I-86 and I-90 early in the week. Conditions are expected to vary from unlimited visibility and dry roads one minute to whiteout conditions and snow-covered roads the next.
Lake-effect snow is likely to persist early on Tuesday, but over progressively smaller areas.
Forecasters say that this round will not be the end of big lake-effect snowfall for the season, and rather it could just be a taste of what to come.
As new waves of Arctic air spin southward from Canada associated with a southward stretch of the polar vortex, more significant outbreaks of lake-effect snow are possible until the coverage of ice substantially increases in the coming weeks.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo