Why Great Lakes ice cover matters for winter snow
Learn how lake effect snow forms and why low ice cover on the Great Lakes means more snow for the Midwest and upstate New York.
Up to two feet of fresh snow is headed into western and central New York this weekend, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo.
The Weather Service issued a winter storm watch and a lake effect snow warning for the counties that typically receive the most lake effect snow off Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. A strong cold front is predicted to move through, bringing lake effect snow and hazardous travel conditions. The area east of Lake Ontario is expected to see the most snow – with up to two feet expected to land on Oswego County by the end of the weekend, according to the Weather Service.
Here’s more on what to expect:
Lake Ontario Region (Wayne, northern Cayuga counties)
Watch: late Saturday, Dec. 13 through the morning of Monday, Dec. 15
Snow Accumulation: up to 7 inches with the greatest accumulation in eastern Wayne and northern Cayuga counties
Impact: Travel difficult= on slippery, snow-covered roads, rapidly changing travel conditions
Western Southern Tier (Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, southern Erie counties)
- Watch: The morning of Saturday, Dec. 13 morning through night of Sunday, Dec. 14
- Snow Accumulation: 7 inches or more of lake effect snow in the most persistent lake effect snow bands
- Winds: Gusts up to 35 mph
- Impact: Snow-covered and slippery roads, brief heavy bursts may reduce visibility
There’s also a lake effect snow warning set for the weekend for counties east of Lake Ontario – and up to two feet of snow is predicted in some spots.
Oswego County
- Warning: In effect through 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
- Snow Accumulation: Up to 2 feet of lake effect snow – divided into two separate rounds. The first round is predicted to bring 6 to 10 inches of snow Friday (which northern Oswego County getting the bulk of the snow) and the second round is predicted to bring 8 to 14 inches of snow late Saturday into Sunday with snow falling at a rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour at times.
- Impact: Hazardous conditions expected
Jefferson and Lewis counties
- Warning: 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13 through 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
- Snow Accumulation: Up to 14 inches with snow falling at a rate of 2 to 3 inches per hour in the most intense portion of the band (Saturday night into early Sunday morning). Heaviest is expected in southern Jefferson and far western Lewis counties.
- Impact: Hazardous conditions expected with deep snow cover on the roads and very poor visibility
