10
Loading video...
By Tom Howarth
Science Reporter (Nature)
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Spectacular satellite imagery has captured the ongoing lake-effect snowstorm blanketing the Great Lakes region.
The National Weather Service (NWS) shared the visuals, captured by Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES), on X (formerly Twitter).
"Impressive @NOAASatellites loop of lake-effect snow bands across the Great Lakes," the NWS wrote.
Read More on U.S.
"The heavy snow forms when cold air from the interior of Canada moves over the relatively warmer lakes. Numerous counties in Michigan and New York remain under warnings due to this snow."
GOES satellites, orbiting 22,300 miles above the Earth in a geosynchronous orbit, continuously monitor fixed points on the planet, providing invaluable data on severe weather patterns.
Their advanced sensors track atmospheric triggers for events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and snowstorms.
In winter, they help meteorologists issue warnings by mapping snowfall accumulations, detecting ice fields and tracking lake and sea ice movement.
The lake-effect snowstorm currently sweeping the Great Lakes is the result of cold Canadian air moving over the warmer lake waters. This process generates intense, localized snowfall, creating picturesque yet hazardous conditions on the ground.
"Heavy snow will fall in relatively narrow bands," an NWS warning for lake-effect snow in Buffalo, New York, said on Friday morning. "If traveling, be prepared for rapidly changing road conditions and visibilities."
"During lake effect snow, the weather can vary from bands of locally heavy snow with greatly reduced visibilities to dry conditions just a few miles away. Be prepared for rapid changes in weather, visibility, and road conditions."
The warning in Buffalo is expected to stay in place until 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday.
Though less severe than an earlier storm in December, this round of lake-effect snow has caused significant disruption. Parts of Michigan and New York remain under warnings, with up to 12 additional inches of snow forecast near Lake Ontario by Friday evening.
...
Erie, Pennsylvania, has recorded its snowiest start to winter, with 47 inches measured at Erie International Airport, according to AccuWeather.
In Dunkirk, New York, snowfall has reached a staggering 83.6 inches so far this season.
Accompanying the snow are below-average temperatures across much of the north-central and eastern United States. According to the NWS, highs range from the teens in the northern Plains to the 50s in the Southeast. However, a warming trend is expected this weekend, with temperatures rebounding closer to seasonal averages.
As the Arctic blast dissipates, milder conditions are forecast for much of the central and eastern U.S. in the run-up to Christmas.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about lake-effect snow? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines