http://www.crh.noaa.gov/radar/loop/D.../si.kgrr.shtml
^^^
looped radar for current conditions
What is lake effect snow? well, our friends living near a large body of water in the north know... but those who dont, here is a consise explanation...
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Lake effect snow, also called a snowsquall, is produced in the winter when cold winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water, picking up water vapor which freezes and is deposited on the lee shores. This effect is enhanced when the moving air mass is uplifted by the orographic effect of higher elevations on the downwind shores. This uplifting can produce narrow, but very intense bands of precipitation, which deposit at a rate of many inches of snow per hour. The areas affected by lake effect snow are called snowbelts.
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I live in such a 'snow belt' on the east side of Lake Michigan. one of the largest fresh water bodies in the world (only two bodies im aware of are larger in mass... one in Russia, and Lake Superior)
what this definition says that is the most important part is the orographic effect...
an example of what it looks like from above...
anyway, enough with the meteorology lesson
basically, there is a winter snow advisory for the next 6 hours lol... ive already done enough donuts to satisfy the kalamazoo police department for weeks on end
i'll post some pictures in the morning
( changed the title to reflect current conditions)
Chicago/Michgan Slammed Snow!
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