Great Lakes Forecast to Get Hit With Lake-Effect Snow

Forecasters are growing increasingly confident that a major lake-effect snow event is going to snarl travel across the Great Lakes region in the days after the Thanksgiving holiday. Read on for a more detailed look at what the forecast is calling for and how it may impact travel for those heading home.

Arctic Air Will Fuel Lake-Effect Snow

A blast of Arctic air coming over the Great Lakes will pair with the moderately warm temperatures still hovering in the water to create intense lake-effect snow. Motorists are likely to experience difficulties on the roadways due to the near-blizzard conditions.

The Arctic air will work to fire up the lake-effect snow machine just hours after a separate weather maker exits the Northeast. The lake-effect snow is expected to linger into the early part of next week.

As is usually the case with lake-effect snow events, local conditions will vary widely across neighboring communities. While some areas pick up inches of snow, other areas may miss out on the snow completely. This is because lake-effect snow bands tend to be narrow in size, sometimes topping out at widths of just 5 feet.

Areas that end up in the bands of the heaviest snow should prepare for significant disruptions on the roads. Blowing and drifting snow will deliver additional complications for motorists. Local officials are particularly concerned about the timing of this storm hitting when so many people will be heading home after the Thanksgiving holiday.

It may be challenging for road crews to keep up with rapidly falling snow. The heavy traffic expected during this time period will make it even more difficult for crews to treat the roads. Snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour are likely at times across parts of interstates 79, 81, 86, and 90. This rate will result in several feet of snow in the hardest-hit areas.

The blowing nature of this type of snow storm will lead to blizzard like conditions. Visibility may drop to near zero during the peak of the activity. The invasion of Arctic air will bring down the mercury to levels that cool down the road surfaces and allow snow to accumulate more readily. Road conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly, going from wet and slushy conditions to snow-covered and icy in a matter of minutes.