Redhead on Lake Erie
Here is a drake Redhead duck having a quiet swim in Lake Erie on a cloudy day with lake effect snow in the air. I love how their yellow eyes contrast with the red, and I envy how peaceful and content this bird looks in such frosty conditions. Scott Kruitbosch Conservation & Outreach Coordinator
Read MoreGreat Black-backed Gull
This Great Black-backed Gull is standing on some Lake Erie ice as the Great Lakes have rapidly filled in during the last few weeks. Waterfowl have skyrocketed in number in some locations and shifted across the Lakes and the Atlantic Coast with millions of birds moving around thanks to our weather. Some light lake effect snow was falling on this gull but it will be tough to see much more in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region with our snow machine being encrusted in ice.
Read MoreLet it Snow!
This storm looks promising for all of us that have been patiently waiting for more snow. Snowmobile trails have yet to open this season and so we have all been doing our snow dances in hopes of being able to get out for a ride and use the newly expanded “Nature at Your Fingertips” snowmobile cell phone tour spread across Chautauqua County. The trails need about 12 inches of snow to compact down to 3 inches of base using the clubs large fleet of groomers. So let’s keep our fingers crossed and as always, be safe and have fun in this winter wonderland! Elyse Henshaw...
Read MoreLake Effect Snow
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! When I got to the office this morning we had about seven and a half inches of snow in the backyard! And we are still getting more lake effect snow as this system continues to move over Lake Erie, which is a balmy 51° today. So how exactly does this lake effect weather work? Well, as cold air is pushed over the warm waters of the lake, unstable air and water vapor build up. As the water vapor condenses, big grey clouds, full of snow are formed. As these clouds move inland, they dump their burden of snow in bands downwind of the lake, producing sometimes...
Read MoreCold and snowy end to November
I do not need to tell anyone in the western New York or even Great Lakes region about how cold it has been in the last couple of weeks considering it is November! As of yesterday Buffalo has been -2.0 °F so far this month compared to long-term climate averages while Erie comes in at -3.0 °F, Rochester -1.6 °F, and Watertown -1.5 °F, all despite having had some strong surges of warmth heading into the 60s at a couple points in November. This is Barcelona Harbor in Westfield and its weather station beginning to freeze up. This blast of arctic air also led to both lake effect and synoptic scale...
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