What does the term ‘lake effect snow’ mean?

Question

In Chicago and heard that term. I don’t know what that means.

In: 6

Answer 1

The Great Lakes are massive. Cold air comes down from Canada, and picks up the moisture from the not yet frozen lakes. Then dumps all the snow (or any precipitation) on cities like Rochester or Buffalo.

Cities with lake effect snow will always get hit harder, basically because there’s more water nearby that can be evaporated and turned to snow