Lake-Effect Climatology Study

Abstract

Lake-effect weather can affect millions of lives in upstate New York every winter. A major field project aimed at studying lake-effect weather is currently in the planning stages. In order to assist the planning and coordination of this project a climatology study of lake-effect weather is underway. The two main aspects of this study are focused on 1) snow band climatology and 2) lake-effect lightning climatology. In both cases there was little differences between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario with respect to total events, however there was a much more significant difference when the lakes were compared on a monthly scale.