Lake-effect snow is a weather phenomenon caused by a cold air mass moving over a large body of warmer water This often occurs when cold winter winds blow over the relatively warm Great Lakes during the winter months. The winds pick up warm and moist air from the lake and transport it over land in the form of snow. Depending on the temperature of the lake and the strength of the winds, lake-effect snow can range from light to heavy snowfall.
The lake-effect snow belt in the Great Lakes region includes spots in the Upper Midwest, northern Ohio and Pennsylvania, the New York Thruway, western New England, and the Tug Hill Plateau. However, certain locations closer to the Great Lakes may receive more snow than other areas. Here are five of the best examples of areas most affected by lake-effect snow:
1. Buffalo, New York: One of the snowiest cities in the United States, Buffalo can receive up to 90 inches of snow from lake-effect snow each year. The city’s close proximity to Lake Erie makes it especially susceptible to lake-effect snowfall.
2. South Bend, Indiana: This city located on the shore of Lake Michigan sees an average of more than 60 inches of snow each year, and most of that comes from lake-effect snow.
3. Marquette, Michigan: This city receives an average of more than 200 inches of snow each year, and nearly 100 inches of that comes from lake-effect snow.
4. Erie, Pennsylvania: Right on the shore of Lake Erie, Erie is one of the snowiest cities in the US, with an average annual snowfall of more than 100 inches. A significant portion of that is related to lake-effect snow.
5. Syracuse, New York: Located east of Lake Ontario, Syracuse receives an average of almost 120 inches of snow each year, and about 30% of that comes from lake-effect snow.