Tt post jan 4 2016

"Toledoans have no idea what a real lake effect snow storm is like."

And nobody has ever claimed to know what such an event is like because as far as I know, Toledo has never experienced a lake effect snowstorm. We are not located in the snowbelt.

Typically, our lake effect snow is straggler snow showers from Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, which usually amounts to less than one-inch accumulation in Lucas County with a bit more possible in Monroe and Lenawee counties.

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"You think two inches an hour is a lot?"

Actually, that is a lot of snow even in the snowbelt areas of the Great Lakes.

In early 2014, Toledo experienced a couple snowstorms that, at times, produced snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Those were low pressure systems and not lake effect events. The strong northeast winds from those systems may have produce enhanced snow bands due the winds picking up some moisture over Lake Erie. The temps were in the upper teens, which produced low-moisture snow, and that may have increased the accumulation rates.

It's extremely rare for snow to fall that fast in a place like Toledo that is located outside of the snowbelt. So yeah, that's our baseline. Those few hours of intense snowfall were similar to what's experienced in the snowbelt, during typical lake effect events.

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"You need to experience two feet per hour, then we can talk."

I would still like to talk, anyway.

Could you provide the link to the snow event that produced rates of two feet per hour? I'm curious to read the dynamics of that freakish storm.

In November 2014, the Buffalo, NY area received 5 to 7 feet of lake effect snow. It was two events that occurred over about a five-day period.

• Lake Effect Summary: November 17-19, 2014
• Lake Effect Summary: November 19-21, 2014

About the first event:

Snow rates on the northern edge easily exceeded 3 inches per hour with some snow rates near 6 inches per hour.

There were still whiteout conditions however as snow continued to fall in excess of 3 inches per hour.

The office mentioned 3-5 inches per hour in the Warning prior to the start of the event ...

About the second event:

The intensity of the band was also evident from the 2 to 4 inch per hour snowfall rates.

Snowfall rates of 2 to 4 inches an hour helped to produce ...

Not even close to two feet per hour.

And MIJeff posted the probable main reason why it's a good idea for the three regional National Weather Service offices to mention the lake effect snow when it does occur in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan: Driving.

The lake effect snow showers that reach the Toledo area are usually brief, but at times, they can contain intense bursts of snow, which can cause near whiteout conditions with blowing snow and slippery roads.

A typical day can contain brisk winds along with some clouds and sunshine, followed by a brief snow shower and then the sun again. When driving, especially in southeast Michigan, motorists can be surprised by one of these snow squalls.

Mentioning the lake effect snow potential or existence is a heads-up for the public.

#toledo #weather