A lake-effect snowstorm dropped at least 30 inches of snow, and is expected to leave more, in the first major event of the season in the Northeast. The storm, which is hitting the area near the Great Lakes, is forecast to dump as much as 1-2 feet in some areas, leading to what the National Weather Service calls “difficult to impossible” travel.
“Moderate to heavy lake-effect snow is expected today into Wednesday morning downwind of the Great Lakes,” the weather service said Monday. The worst of the weather is expected Monday night: “The lake-effect snow is expected to reach peak intensity across the entire Great Lakes from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning,” AccuWeather meteorologist Jake Sojda said.
The weather service warned that “if traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities.” Most of the heavy snow should stay closer to the lakes, and parts of northern Michigan, northwestern Pennsylvania and northern New York are the most likely targets for feet of snow, according to Accuweather.
Lake-effect snow, which can last for only a few minutes to several days, develops from narrow bands of clouds that form when cold, dry arctic air passes over a large, relatively mild lake. These snows typically occur only in the fall or early winter, before the lakes freeze over. Wind direction is also key to determine which areas will receive lake-effect snow. Heavy snow may be falling in one spot, while the sun may be shining just a mile or two away in either direction.
One of the biggest lake-effect snowfall events on record hammered areas near Buffalo, New York: 5 feet of snow in a span of two days in November 2014, AccuWeather said.
Snow squalls well away from the Great Lakes are also possible into Tuesday evening, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. “Snow squalls are especially dangerous as they pass over high speed, busy highways, such as Interstates 79, 80 and 81 in the region, where the volume of traffic may prevent motorists from seeing the squalls coming in advance,” he said.
While snow will be the primary weather threat around the Great Lakes, below-average temperatures will continue to be the main story across much of the nation this week. “Highs Tuesday will be in the 30s and 40s for New England, the mid-Atlantic, and even into the Carolinas, with 50s for the Southeast and Gulf Coast/north Florida,” the weather service said. “Chilly highs in the 20s and 30s are expected for the Great Lakes/Midwest with 30s and 40s from the central Plains into the middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. Highs will be in the 50s for Texas and the lower Mississippi Valley.”
These temperatures are about 10-20 degrees below average for this time of year. In portions of California, a freeze warning is in effect until Thursday.