How would the climate of North America change if the Great Plains were a giant inland sea? (snowfall, average)

[deneb78]

I'm wondering how you think the climate of North America would change if all the Great Plains were a giant inland sea that connected with the Gulf of Mexico and went all the way up to the Canadian prairies today. Let's say that this sea was not all that deep relatively speaking with the deepest parts around 100 metres (330 feet). I think millions of years ago, this was the case anyway.

The sea would be roughly the size in this image with a small outlet to the Gulf of Mexico

http://www.unl.edu/plains/Great-Plains-Map-rgb.jpg

[Yamato2]

Minneapolis and Des Moines might be more like Portland, OR and Eugene, Oregon? Not totally exactly but more similar to them than they were before.

[TheRealDavid]

Milder but more humid I'm guessing. 27C with a 20C DP would be a typical summer day.

[Saritra]

There would likely be areas on the shore getting massive "inland-sea-effect" snow in the winter.

[deneb78]

Originally Posted by Saritra

There would likely be areas on the shore getting massive "inland-sea-effect" snow in the winter.

How far south do you think this sea effect snow would occur?

[Wipe0ut2020]

Look at this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Interior_Seaway

[Saritra]

Originally Posted by deneb78

How far south do you think this sea effect snow would occur?

Probably down to around Omaha or Kansas City on a regular basis, becoming rare south of that. But it could theoretically occur all the way to the Gulf Of Mexico, like it did in the Great Blizzard of 1899.

[Yamato2]

What I like about this that winters will be less colder. Will there still be a lot of thunderstorms in central United States in the summer though?

[muslim12]

Originally Posted by Saritra

Probably down to around Omaha or Kansas City on a regular basis, becoming rare south of that. But it could theoretically occur all the way to the Gulf Of Mexico, like it did in the Great Blizzard of 1899.

In a situation with a large inland sea no further south than Chicago will it be a common occurence.

[Saritra]

Originally Posted by muslim12

In a situation with a large inland sea no further south than Chicago will it be a common occurence.

I disagree.


Evidence:


Salt Lake City gets regular lake-effect snow from the Great Salt Lake. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake-e..._United_States)


Average January high temperature in Salt Lake City: 37F.
Average January low temperature in Salt Lake City: 21F.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_Lake_City#Climate)


Average January high temperature in Kansas City: 38F.
Average January low temperature in Kansas City: 19F.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas...ssouri#Climate, data from KCI Airport)


Winds out of the west and northwest are common in the winter in both locations. Although Kansas City's lack of areas that would cause large amounts of orographic lift may reduce snowfall totals somewhat, I see nothing there that would stop it from occurring there at least once each year.