Wednesday 19 November 2014

What causes Lake Effect Snow: Muskoka, Barrie

It's hard finding out the snow totals.
13 cm in Sault Ste. Marie & 15 cm in Wiarton yesterday. Not bad compared to NY as we have a lack of observation sites.

Friends estimate 30+ cm in areas east of Georgian Bay. Lake of Bays has 33cm or 13" from Sunday to today.

It is the water cycle, really. It is exacerbated by the cold winter winds from the north crossing the warmer Great Lakes. The water has temperature inertia, and stays at a warmer temperature until winter sets in.
I had some fun making a graphic using a 2009 photo of Lake Superior. We had a big trip to Lake Superior and Lake Superior Park, in June, 2009.

It seems to be quite frequent in December, and it is. The winds blowing across warm, open Great Lakes water. By late winter more of the Great Lakes are frozen and less moisture is picked up.

This is a photo from our trip to Lake Superior Park.
This is how Lake Effect snow is created

Monday/Tuesday in Muskoka

Two photos from my friends.  Firstly, Jacqueline in Huntsville. And then from Erica, in Bala, Ontario. The buses were cancelled and there were white outs everywhere. There were many car incidents and peeps were asked to stay off of the roads. Some did not listen.
12:48 AM EST Wednesday 19 November 2014Snow squall ... Snowfall rates associated with this band are 5 to 10 centimetres per hour.

Erica's patio furniture!

Jacqueline's car, a little under the weather.

Snow squalls and winds

Barrie is bad, too


BREAKING: OPP have closed Hwy. 400 NB due to a serious collision. The highway is expected to be closed for 4-6 hours.

OPP are asking motorists to stay off the roads due to the weather conditions.

Georgian Bay current conditions

Gale warnings are in effect, as well as an ice warning. Tuesday, the air temperature was -1˚  C. and
Georgian Bay is 8˚  C., generating surface friction and the massive amount of moisture picked up by the winds.

Snow squalls, cold winds, lots of blowing snow
You can watch the animated surface currents of the Great Lakes. This is really interesting!
animated surface currents
Nov. 18th, 2014


Batchawana Bay, on Lake Superior
the winds drive the moisture
June 2009

8 comments:

Joe Todd said...

Wow.. I know that area well.. I can't imagine trying to drive on 400 in that kind of weather

Hilary said...

Oh I'd be listening to those warnings. Being a brand new driver and all. We have about 10cm here.

Nancy J said...

I looked at Accuweather, and hopped to the weather forecasts. Huge falls, 5 feet in some places, people dying after cardiac attacks, and road accidents, but your graphic is so good, explains it so much better to me down here, I cannot imagine that much snow. Hope your firewood is close to the back door, all cats inside, and you are warm. Hugs, Jean.

Jenn Jilks said...

It's been a terrible storm in Buffalo, yes, Jean!
People are stuck where they landed. Snow ploughs are getting stuck, too! It's a mess.

Phil Slade said...

I guess you are all accustomed to this white stuff. New York snow made the TV headlines in the UK today.Please don't send it this way though!

Kay L. Davies said...

Oh yes, there are always those people who "can drive well in snow" and whose destination "is very important" and the rest of us "don't understand why I had to go" in the snow storm.
Sigh.
Good post, though, Jenn. Very informative.
Luv, K

Red said...

Extremes like Buffalo are very frightening. If we ever had 2 meters of snow here we'd be toast for a year.

William Kendall said...

Muskoka really did get slammed by the snow!