Lake effect snow on radar
This heavy band of lake effect snow was ripping off of Lake Erie and belting Buffalo earlier this evening. It has since moved south, remaining mostly just north of Chautauqua County and hitting Erie County into Wyoming County. How much is falling? A midnight update from the National Weather Service said: * AT 1153 PM EST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED AN INTENSE LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SNOWFALL RATES OF 3 TO 4 INCHES PER HOUR…AND VISIBILITY OF A QUARTER OF A MILE OR LESS. THIS LAKE EFFECT SNOW BAND WAS ABOUT 10 TO 15 MILES WIDE WITH THE...
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 MoreLake effect snow coming to RTPI
This photo was taken nearly one year ago to the day – November 13, 2013. On that day in 2014 lake effect snow will also be covering the region in the first event of the fall season. Enjoy the winter preview and beautiful scenes!
Read MoreResting Monarch
This Monarch butterfly was content to take a rest out of the wind for a while. Part of what must make a Monarch’s migration so difficult is that autumn days with warm temperatures are often those that feature a strong southerly flow – precisely the opposite of the direction they’d like. Finding sunny and warm days with a tailwind out of the north is not easy in September or October, especially in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region with lake effect clouds and precipitation even under high pressure. This is before we mention the cool temperatures associated with those...
Read MoreSmoke and fire
Fall foliage can take on so many appearances, especially when combined with the sky above us. This scene has a look of fire and smoke as the leaves continue to change and the sky fills with lake effect clouds in the Chautauqua-Allegheny region while temperatures continue to drop. Autumn has arrived. Be sure you make the time to get outside to enjoy it because it does not last long.
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