More Lake-Effect Snow on Tap Through the Middle of the Week

There is more lake-effect snow on the way for the Great Lakes region this week thanks to a new infusion of Arctic air. When will the heaviest bands of snow set up and where should you expect the flakes to fly? Read on for the updated forecast for the Great Lakes and beyond.

Lack of Ice Coverage Promoting Lake-Effect Snow

A fresh batch of Arctic air filtering down from northern Canada will pair with a lack of ice coverage over the Great Lakes to fuel another round of lake-effect snow for the region. This snow event will expand as far as the interior portions of the Northeast at times, bringing significant accumulation to many communities in its path.

The first storm that brought in the Arctic air got going on Sunday, resulting in gusty winds and snow showers. This pattern will linger through Monday with the lake-effect snow erupting later in the day and into the overnight hours.

The greatest chance of disruptive accumulation will be in the areas downwind of Lakes Huron, Erie, and Ontario. The forecast models predict that the heaviest snow will fall between late Monday and through Wednesday night. Travel is likely to be hampered across the region due to the amount of snow pairing with the high winds.

Snow totals could eclipse a foot for parts of the Keweenaw Peninsula and Porcupine Mountains in Michigan. The shores of Lake Superior will also see several inches of snow out of this event.

Forecasters are warning that snowfall rates could approach 1 to 3 inches per hour, making it difficult for crews to clear the roads. Visibility will also be a problem as the flakes are flying.

Places such as Erie, Pennsylvania will be in the bullseye of some of the highest snow accumulations. After seeing just an inch or so during the day on Monday, the city is bracing for about 3 to 5 inches overnight and into Tuesday. Another 3 to 5 inches is on tap on Tuesday with one last inch likely falling after the sun goes down. Winds of 15 to 25 mph during this time period will create the possibility of blowing and drifting snow.

There is also the chance that the snow bands could reach as far as the Interstate 95 corridor by late Tuesday. This could complicate travel up and down this busy roadway in the populated region. We will continue to update if the snow creeps this far to the east.

Taking a Look at the Temperatures

The latest Arctic air influx is already sending the mercury plummeting. It will be another bitterly cold day across the Northern Plains, the Upper Midwest, and the Great Lakes. Overnight lows throughout the Dakotas and over into Wisconsin will fall below zero for several days in a row.

The windy conditions will make it feel even colder. Gusts will hit speeds of up to 30 mph in some areas, bringing real feel readings down to as low as 30 degrees below zero.

Looking at a few of the coldest forecasts, Minot, North Dakota is under a cold weather advisory through noon Monday. The city in the Northern Plains will see the temperatures top out at 6 degrees below zero under a mix of sun and clouds. Overnight lows will drop to 18 degrees below zero. It will be just slightly warmer on Tuesday with a forecast high of about 18 degrees.

Moving farther to the east and into the Upper Midwest, Minneapolis is going to see a high of just 7 degrees on Monday, pairing with an overnight low of 6 degrees below zero. Breezes coming in at 10 to 15 mph will make it feel chillier in the Twin Cities. After struggling to break past the 10-degree mark on Tuesday, the mercury is forecast to make it up into the upper 20s for a high on Wednesday.

It will also be unseasonably cold for Chicago with a high in the upper teens on Monday. Winds will be whipping around from the west at 10 to 20 mph to start the new work week. You can expect an overnight low of about 8 degrees with another day topping out in the upper teens on Tuesday in the Windy City.

When to Expect the End of the Lake-Effect Snow for the Season

This is typically the time of the year when the lake-effect snow events become less pronounced. The lake-effect snow machine generally starts to wind down as more ice builds across the lakes. Warmer temperatures as of late have kept the ice coverage down, meaning that more lake-effect snow has been able to take root. This is because lake-effect snow builds when cold air circulates over warmer waters that are not yet covered in ice.

The current ice coverage maps only show extensive concentrations of ice along the western shorelines. The smaller inlets across Saginaw Bay, western Lake Erie, and Lake St. Claire are seeing the greatest amount of ice coverage, helping to put a lid on the lake-effect snow in these areas.

Overall, the lakes are coming in at just under 20% ice coverage. This has kept the waters in the lakes elevated, prompting the latest round of lake-effect snow.

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