Lake-Effect by the Foot

news image
Special Stories
3 Jan 2018 2:21 PM
While the East Coast is getting hammered by snow, wind, and ice, the Great Lakes region continues to deal with lake-effect snowfall.  An arctic air mass will keep temperatures cold with west - northwest wind flowing over the open waters of the Great Lakes.  Interestingly enough, the bitterly cold temperatures have allowed ice to form over some of the shallower basins of the lakes.  Nonetheless, enough of the water surfaces remain ice-free to keep snow in the forecast for cities like South Bend, Indiana and Syracuse, New York. The orientation of the lake and the direction of the wind are major factors when it comes to how much lake-effect snow will fall.  So how much snow will fall?  The Upper Peninsula of Michigan can expect manageable totals of just a few inches through Thursday morning thanks to a northwest wind over Lake Superior. Along the west coast of Michigan, counties bordering Lake Michigan can generally expect 4 to 8 inches of snow.  Locally higher totals are possible where snow bands persist through Thursday night.  Southwest Lower Michigan will likely be the bullseye for the highest lake-effect snow totals.  A general 12 to 18 inches---with possibly up to 24 inches---are likely in cities such as Benton Harbor and St. Joseph.  South Bend, Indiana may accumulate over 12 inches of snow by Friday morning with much of north central Indiana picking up 4 to 8 inches. Further east, as the northwest wind picks up Thursday through Saturday, areas of Upstate New York downwind of Lake Ontario may have to shovel another 8 to 16 inches of lake-effect snow. Follow WeatherNation on Twitter and Facebook for the latest forecast information. -Meteorologist Joe Astolfi
All Weather News
More
Hurricane Flossie Continues to Weaken

Hurricane Flossie Continues to Weaken

Hurricane FlossieThe National Hurricane Cente

3 Jul 2025 2:50 AM
NHC Monitoring Front in the Southeast Ahead of 4th of July

NHC Monitoring Front in the Southeast Ahead of 4th of July

Later this week, a frontal boundary is expect

3 Jul 2025 1:00 AM
Northern Plains to Upper Midwest Severe Storms Threaten Holiday Travel

Northern Plains to Upper Midwest Severe Storms Threaten Holiday Travel

NORTHERN PLAINS - A frontal system is expecte

3 Jul 2025 1:00 AM
Northeast Severe Threat on Thursday

Northeast Severe Threat on Thursday

NORTHEAST -A shortwave trough will swing thro

3 Jul 2025 12:30 AM
Northwest Heat Met With Thunderstorm Risk

Northwest Heat Met With Thunderstorm Risk

NORTHWEST - Today, portions of Montana are un

3 Jul 2025 12:00 AM
Near Seasonal Temperatures for Many Come July 4th!

Near Seasonal Temperatures for Many Come July 4th!

AAA is expecting over 70 million travelers to

2 Jul 2025 6:40 PM
Severe Weather Threat Continues in the Midwest

Severe Weather Threat Continues in the Midwest

It has been an active, severe season across t

30 Jun 2025 9:00 PM