The size and depth of lakes can affect the amount of lake effect snow they produce. Lake Superior, being the largest and deepest lake, holds more heat into late fall and winter which allows it to release more moisture into the air, resulting in the most lake effect snow accumulation along its shores that can reach over 180 inches annually. Smaller and shallower Lake Ontario produces less lake effect snow, with annual totals around 89 inches along its shores due to it retaining less heat and moisture. The orientation of the lakes also influences snowfall, with western Lake Superior and eastern Lake Ontario receiving the most and least respectively due to prevailing wind patterns.

1. WHAT AFFECTS LAKE
EFFECT SNOW
Jose Lerma
Severe Weather

2. DOES THE SIZE OF THE LAKE AFFECT THE
AMOUNT OF SNOW PRODUCED IN A LAKE
EFFECT SNOW EVENT?

3. WHAT IS LAKE EFFECT SNOW?
Cold winds move over
warm lake water
Picks up water vapor
Freezes and is
deposited as snow on
the leeward shores.

7. LAKE SUPERIOR
Area: 31,700
sq. miles
Mean depth:
483 feet

8. LAKE MICHIGAN
Area: 22,390
sq. miles
Mean depth:
279 feet

9. LAKE ONTARIO
Area: 7,320
sq. miles
Mean depth:
283 feet

10. SNOW BELT

11. 0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
1/14/2007
2/14/2007
3/14/2007
4/14/2007
5/14/2007
6/14/2007
7/14/2007
8/14/2007
9/14/2007
10/14/2007
11/14/2007
12/14/2007
1/14/2008
2/14/2008
3/14/2008
4/14/2008
5/14/2008
6/14/2008
7/14/2008
8/14/2008
9/14/2008
10/14/2008
11/14/2008
12/14/2008
1/14/2009
2/14/2009
3/14/2009
4/14/2009
5/14/2009
6/14/2009
7/14/2009
8/14/2009
9/14/2009
10/14/2009
11/14/2009
12/14/2009
1/14/2010
2/14/2010
3/14/2010
4/14/2010
5/14/2010
6/14/2010
7/14/2010
8/14/2010
9/14/2010
10/14/2010
11/14/2010
12/14/2010
1/14/2011
2/14/2011
3/14/2011
4/14/2011
5/14/2011
6/14/2011
7/14/2011
8/14/2011
9/14/2011
10/14/2011
11/14/2011
12/14/2011
1/14/2012
TOTALS(INCHES)
DATES
Snow Fall Totals
Lake Superior Lake Michigan Lake Ontario

12. 0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
SNOWFALLTOTAL
DATE
Lake Superior - Snowfall Total

13. 0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
SNOWFALLTOTAL
DATE
Lake Superior - Snowfall Total

14. 0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
18.00
SNOWFALLTOTALS
DATES
Lake Michigan - Snowfall Total

15. 0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
18.00
SNOWFALLTOTALS
DATES
Lake Michigan - Snowfall Total

16. 0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
SNOWFALLTOTALS
DATE
Lake Ontario - Snowfall Totals

17. 0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
SNOWFALLTOTALS
DATE
Lake Ontario - Snowfall Totals

18. 0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
SNOWFALLTOTALS
DATE
Lake Ontario
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
18.00
1/29/2007 1/29/2008 1/29/2009 1/29/2010 1/29/2011
SNOWFALLTOTALS
DATES
Lake Michigan
0.00
5.00
10.00
15.00
20.00
25.00
30.00
SNOWFALLTOTAL
DATE
Lake Superior

19. WHATS NEEDED FOR LAKE EFFECT SNOW?

21. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Water Temperature Composite
Water Temp -Superior Water Temp-Ontario Water Temp-Michigan

22. 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Water Temperature Composite
Water Temp -Superior Water Temp-Ontario Water Temp-Michigan

24. GLOBAL TEMPERATURES
2010 top warmest,
tied with 2005
1.12 F (anomaly) +
57.9 F (average)
Dramatic Change in
El Nino-EL Nina
Heat Waves

25. DOES SIZE AFFECT SNOWFALL?
Lake Superior—186 inches
Largest and Deepest
Further West
Holds More heat and
releases more moisture
Lake Ontario — 89 inches
Smallest and
Shallowest
Further East

26. CREDITS
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2010/13
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/stormevents/choos
edates.jsp?statefips=39%2COHIO
http://coastwatch.glerl.noaa.gov/
http://glos.us/data-tools/point-query-tool-glcfs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjL4FXAQ
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