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Lake Effect Snow in Western New York

Lake Effect Snow in Western New York. Adam Czekanski 26 April 2007. Photo Courtesy of NOAA. Agenda. Objective Critical Variables Study Area Historic Trends Event Analysis Conclusion Acknowledgements Questions. Photo Courtesy of V.L.TROY. Objective.

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Lake Effect Snow in Western New York

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  1. Lake Effect Snow in Western New York Adam Czekanski 26 April 2007 Photo Courtesy of NOAA

  2. Agenda • Objective • Critical Variables • Study Area • Historic Trends • Event Analysis • Conclusion • Acknowledgements • Questions Photo Courtesy of V.L.TROY

  3. Objective To illustrate the relationship between meteorological factors, geographical factors and lake effect snow as they pertain to Lake Erie and western New York. Imagery Courtesy NOAA CoastWatch - Great Lakes Region

  4. Lake Effect Snow Intense snowfall that occurs as a result of cold dry air moving across the surface of a warmer body of water. Imagery Courtesy Sea WiFS Project, NASA

  5. Lake Effect Snow Slides Courtesy of Dept of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Illinois

  6. Variables • Temperature Differential • Produces convective instability • Ideally 15-25oC • Relative Humidity • Amount of moisture in the air • Determines time air needs over water to become saturated • Latent Heat • Heat released from condensation of moisture • Additional energy source for convective instability

  7. Variables • Wind Speed • Ideally at least ~11 MPH (5 m/s) • Affects spray/evaporation, residence time • Wind Direction / Fetch • Determines where storm comes ashore • Length of fetch (trajectory) affects moisture contact time • Ice Cover • Directly affects amount of moisture available • Water >0oC needed • Shoreline • Convergence and vertical lift due to surface friction • Elevation change causes moist air to rise, condense

  8. Lake Effect Storm in Action(Buffalo, NY, January 2007)

  9. Study Area Map Courtesy of GoCanada.com

  10. Lake Erie Study Area

  11. Historic Trends(NCDC Snow Gage Locations)

  12. Historic Trends(Lake Ice Cover)

  13. Historic Trends(Temperature and Ice Cover)

  14. Historic Trends(Lake Ice Cover and Snowfall)

  15. Historic Trends(Elevation and Distance from the Lake)

  16. Event Analysis(NOHRSC Snow Gage Locations)

  17. Event Analysis(29 January 2007)

  18. Event Analysis(14 February 2007)

  19. Event Analysis(26 February 2007)

  20. Event Analysis(7 March 2007)

  21. I’m a Fan of GIS!!! GIS is Satan’s spawn!!! Conclusion Occurrence, strength, and location of lake effect snows in western New York rely on a number of variables, but are most strongly correlated with the ice cover on Lake Erie

  22. Acknowledgements • Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) • Greg Lang • Ray Assel • Tim Hunter • Nathan Hawley • National Operational Hydrologic Sensing Center – Kelley Eicher • University of Wisconsin (Space Science and Engineering Center) – Liam Gumley • Brad Eck, Tyler Jantzen, Stephanie Johnson, Clark Siler, and Ernest To for their “technical expertise” • Eric Hersh for being my nemesis for the last two years!!

  23. Questions

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