Lake Effect Snow Blankets Great Lakes and Northeast, Disrupts Travel and Signals Season’s Chilly Arrival

By Reia Leen Delantar On Nov 29, 2023

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Lake effect snow travelers in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland should be cautious due to potential snow squalls leading to sudden visibility drops and whiteout conditions on roads.

A significant bout of lake effect snow is presently underway, spanning regions of the Great Lakes and the interior Northeast, set to persist until Wednesday morning

Specifically, forecasters are monitoring I-90 in upstate New York, where a notable snow band is being pushed by a subtle wind shift, impacting the heavily traveled corridor and areas like Syracuse, expecting several inches of lake effect snow throughout the evening.

The lake effect snow will endure until Wednesday morning, possibly accumulating 8 to 16 inches more in typical snow belt areas downwind of Lakes Erie and Ontario. The anticipated storm totals could reach 30-40 inches, notably affecting the Tug Hill Plateau area of upstate New York.

Associated with the lake effect snow’s strong winds, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City metro areas might experience some flurries, colloquially known as “mood snow.”

lake effect snow is generated when a cold air mass passes over the relatively warm and ice-free Great Lakes, resulting in cloud formation and subsequent snowfall downwind of the lakes. The frigid air mass responsible for this snow is the season’s coldest yet. On Tuesday morning, temperatures in single digits with sub-zero wind chills were recorded across parts of the Upper Midwest like Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York.

The cold isn’t exclusive to the Midwest and Northeast; it’s affecting all regions east of the Mississippi, where high temperatures are forecasted to be 10-20 degrees below average. Temperatures on Tuesday will struggle to reach 40 in major cities along the I-95 corridor and remain in the 50s for cities like Atlanta, Tallahassee, Florida, and New Orleans. This initial wintry spell will persist for the next two days, followed by a gradual moderation by week’s end.