Lake & Other Effect Snows (record, 2014, city, freezing)

[Cambium]

Just 22 minutes away was the difference between getting 1 & 3 feet of snow there. Hit or Miss with Lake Effect snow.


National Weather Service - Eastern Region Hydrometeorological Event Display


PNS from KBUF

[Cambium]

Will Syracuse miss out again?

[Donar]

I prefer lake effect snow. Ocean means the climate is somehow moderated, I don't like coastal climates in general.

The German Baltic Sea coast can get sea effect snow from time to time. Here this effect is unknown, no larger body of water for hundreds of miles.

[Alkis]

I love sea effect snow. This happens when a low pressure passes from Ionian Sea with a direction to NW Greece (Ioannina).
The first one is from 03-02-2015. With -1 C at 850 hpa and after heavy rainfalls with floods we had a heavy snowfall at night for 2 hours. The result is this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVuwOHsjm0Q
The second one is much heavier with much more cm at 02-02-2012.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOf3wQiOWOI

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by Alkis

I love sea effect snow. This happens when a low pressure passes from Ionian Sea with a direction to NW Greece (Ioannina).
The first one is from 03-02-2015. With -1 C at 850 hpa and after heavy rainfalls with floods we had a heavy snowfall at night for 2 hours. The result is this.

Nice! Very cool. So the flow was from the SW at the surface and mid level?


Surprised it happened with just a 1C up there. Usually we don't see it unless its colder than about -3C because there's not enough instability that happens for it.


Makes me wonder if there is a water temp difference between us. Maybe our waters are cooler and therefore we need it colder aloft to get the effect?




Should of put Sea and Sound as part of "Ocean" on the poll. Anyway...


Here's an image from NWS NY on January 3, 2014. Small body of water (Long Island Sound) causing snow as flow moves Southeast. I was missing out while Long Island was getting snow.

"This radar image was taken around 10am. The appearance definitely gives us an indication that the moderate to heavy snow across LI was enhanced by Long Island Sound! As the very cold air mass passes over the warmer waters of the sound, conditions become favorable for rising air and more snow development once it reaches Long Island!

Here at the office, it continued to give us about 1"/hr snowfall rates a little while ago, and it reduced visibility at ISP to 1/4mi. These bands are slowly moving to the east. SE portions of Suffolk Co could expect 0.5-1"/hr rates under any heavier banding the next hour or two"

[Alkis]

Originally Posted by Cambium

Nice! Very cool. So the flow was from the SW at the surface and mid level?


Surprised it happened with just a 1C up there. Usually we don't see it unless its colder than about -3C because there's not enough instability that happens for it.


Makes me wonder if there is a water temp difference between us. Maybe our waters are cooler and therefore we need it colder aloft to get the effect?




Should of put Sea and Sound as part of "Ocean" on the poll. Anyway...


Here's an image from NWS NY on January 3, 2014. Small body of water (Long Island Sound) causing snow as flow moves Southeast. I was missing out while Long Island was getting snow.

Yes in Ioannina we need SW and generally West weather systems to see much precipitation and easy dro to temperatures. Also the city lies at 500 m altitude so it is not strange to see snowfalls with 0 C at 850 hpa at least in North Greece. Our waters are warm yes and that is why we have heavier phenomenons here in the Med. Generally the city needs -2 C and below at 850 hpa to see snowfalls and -25 C and below at 500 hpa. The same at Serres (at 35 m altitude). I don't know why it is easier to snow here in our places. Maybe due to lots of mountains and topography?

[Cambium]

I talked about -3C.... How about -20C with Ocean temp in the 40 and 50s(+5-12C) ? Heads up Eastern MA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
700 PM EST THU DEC 31 2015

SHOT OF ARCTIC AIR FOLLOWS LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY. H850 TEMPS
APPROACHING -20C. LOWS IN THE TEENS TO MID 20S SUNDAY NIGHT...MONDAY
NIGHT WILL BE QUITE CHILLY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LOWS IN THE
SINGLE DIGITS ACROSS THE FAR INTERIOR.

OF SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IS THE POTENTIAL FOR OCEAN EFFECT SNOW
SHOWERS SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT. MAIN AREA OF CONCERN IS
ACROSS EASTERN PLYMOUTH COUNTY AND THE CAPE AND ISLANDS...BUT COULD
ALSO AFFECT CAPE ANN AND VICINITY IF THE LOW LEVEL WINDS TAKE ON A
MORE NNE FETCH. A LOOK AT BUFKIT SOUNDINGS USING OCEAN TEMP IN UPPER
40S YIELDS OCEAN INDUCED CAPE UP TO SEVERAL HUNDRED J/KG. DO NOT
WANT TO GET TOO DETAILED WITH LOCATION-SPECIFIC MESOSCALE
SCENARIO AT THIS TIME...BUT THERE ARE SOME PARAMETERS THAT LOOK
FAVORABLE FOR OCEAN EFFECT SNOW...INCLUDING NORTHERLY
WINDS...LARGE SST DIFFERENTIAL...AND DECENT INVERSION HEIGHTS FOR
LOCAL STANDARDS. IT IS PROBABLE THAT WE WILL SEE A PERIOD OF OCEAN
EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS ACROSS SOUTHEAST NEW ENGLAND WITH THE RISK FOR
SOME ACCUMULATION.

[Cambium]

Those folks around the Lakes have had a couple of good events this season.. now with the pattern change we're getting, the Lakes will start to Ice up and the Lake snows will stop but thats not for some time.

So until then.... wow. Late Lake Effect snows again.

1-2 feet to fall.

[Cambium]

Here you go nei .. Lake effect squalls all the way down to MA, CT and Rhode Island. Not uncommon in a NW cold flow!

https://twitter.com/NWSBoston/status/683002280208117760

[Cambium]

Whoa. Lots of Sea effect snow in Turkey

https://twitter.com/MarkVogan/status/683226127364657155