What to Expect from the First Major Lake-Effect Snow of the Season
Alexis Thornton
Last monthIt may be a rough road home for some Thanksgiving week travelers as the Great Lakes braces for what is expected to be a major lake-effect snow event. Forecasters are also predicting the first Alberta clipper storms of the season for next week. Here is what you need to know about this developing situation.
Lake-Effect Snow Event Firing Up Across the Great Lakes
A lake-effect snow event is forecast to bury some areas in snowfall measured in feet rather than inches. The snow will create dangerous road conditions as people try to head home after the long holiday weekend. The lake-effect snow will pair with frigid temperatures to make it feel more like the dead of winter rather than the first or December.
Meteorologists have been warning for days that the coldest air of the season is on the way for the eastern half of the country. The plunging temperatures will support the development of the lake-effect snow in a zone from Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio, and into Pennsylvania and New York beginning the back half of the weekend. The chance of lake-effect snow will linger well into the start of the new work week.
Snowfall rates will have the ability to close down major highways, potentially stranding motorists. The snow machine will fire up as the cold air hovers over the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, forming clouds that create the heavy snow bands.
The heaviest snow bands will produce snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour with locally top measurements of 5 inches her hour. Some portions of interstates 79, 81, 86, and 90 will be in danger of seeing potentially dangerous travel conditions. In addition, parts of interstates 75 and 196 in Michigan may also experience difficulties.
Lake-effect snow is known for its ability to hammer some areas while communities a few miles away see no snowflakes at all. The hit and miss nature of these storms can create a false sense of security as motorists head out in their area thinking that the road conditions must also be fine a few miles up the highway. This erratic nature leads to a higher risk of becoming stranded in a dangerous situation.
The rapidly falling temperatures will pair with gusty winds that are a hallmark of lake-effect snow events. This will translate to real feel readings that land about 15 to 30 degrees lower than the actual air temperatures.
The sheer number of people heading home after the Thanksgiving holiday will also be a concern if the roads become dicey. The high winds will send the snow flying, triggering whiteout conditions and drifting snow.