Why do lake effect snows not develop on the northern side of the Great Lakes when strong southerly winds are blowing during winter?

Why do lake-effect snows not develop on the northern side of the great lakes when strong southerly winds are blowing during winter? -Southerly winds would be bringing warm air across the lake. This would decrease the lake-air temperature difference, which is necessary for lake-effect snow.



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Lake-effect snow generally doesn't fall over the water because it needs the friction and topography of the land to bring out the snow. Winds usually blow west to east in the Northern Hemisphere, so the lake-enhanced snow is pushed to the eastern side of the Great Lakes, Miller said.

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Luckily for people living near large lakes, lake effect snow generally slows down around February. That's when the lakes freeze over, making it impossible for the air to steal moisture away from the lake.

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During the late fall and winter seasons in the Great Lakes region, the flow of cold air masses across the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes waters results in the production of dramatic lake-effect snowfall downwind of the lakes, particularly on the southern and eastern shores.

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The lower layer of air, heated by the lake water, picks up water vapor from the lake and rises through colder air. The vapor then freezes and is deposited on the leeward (downwind) shores.

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The water molecules in these clouds freeze and are eventually deposited downwind, on the leeward side of these lakes as snow and other types of winter precipitation. Lake effect snow occurrence and location is mainly dependent on wind (speed and direction) and topography.

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Shallower lakes usually freeze before deeper lakes since shallower lakes contain less water that needs to be cooled down. And, lakes freeze from their perimeter towards the center since there is less water in the shallower areas that needs to be cooled.

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Lake-effect snow is a frequent contributor to our seasonal snowfall in Chicago and with Lake Michigan almost ice free, the lake-effect snow machine is open for business provided a cold wind is blowing in our favor in the right direction. Nearly 93% of the Great Lakes does not have significant ice cover.

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