GEOG 104 Weather Climate and Society Use the map below to an

GEOG 104: Weather, Climate, and Society Use the map below to answer questions about lake-effect snow Questions 1. You are in Marquette, Michigan (city A). The lake temperature is 4\'C (36 F) and the air temperature is-30(-10-n winds are out of the north at 20 mph. Is a lake-effect snowstorm ikely in Marquette? Why or why not? (3 pts.) 2. What direction would the winds need to be from in order for Chicago to experience a lake- effect snowstorm (1) ography 104: Atmospheric Moisture Pa

Solution

Hi! Before going directly to the questions let us just get a very general overview of lake effect snow and what are the certain things it depends on to be created.

Lake effect snow is a weather phenomenon which occurs when cold air from the lands move over the relatively warm and unfrozen lake waters. The warm waters causes the air from the lower portion to heat up! As the air heats up, it becomes less dense and rises above creating clouds (with the water vapor from the lakes). The air freezes as it moves upward and as the air moves some distance over the lake, convection and turbulent exchange transports the moisture aloft to form clouds. Snow may fall.on the leeward side and hence is called lake-effect snow.

There are certain key conditions required for its development :  

Now, let us go back to the questions asked.

(a) Marquette city is surrounded by Lake Superior on the north. Yes, a lake snow storm is likely to occur because it is in sync with the general basic criteria required for its development. There is a huge temperature difference between lake and land. The wind is moving northward creating a good fetch for the process to occur(Longer the fetch, greater is the amount of heat and moisture which is aquired from the lake). Also, due to the huge size and shape of the lake, it is unlikely to freeze completely and will continue to generate mositure.

(b) On the other hand, Chicago is surrounded by Lake Mchigan and for the lake effect snow storm to occur there, the winds must move in northward or northeast direction because through that only a longer fetch is produced for snow to be generated.