There are lots of great reasons why people choose to live in Western New York. However, we're confident one of those reasons isn't the blast of lake-effect snow we've been dealing with lately. Of course, lake effect snow is something you have to deal with when you live downwind of the Great Lakes, but that doesn't mean you have to like it.

The Buffalo area has dealt with its fair share of snow as the region is in between blasts of arctic air thanks to a polar vortex, and with the National Weather Service issuing another winter weather advisory for the Buffalo area, more snow is coming.

But what is Lake Effect snow? Have you ever seen a snowstorm blow in from Lake Erie?

What Is Lake Effect Snow

We deal with a whole lot of it in Western New York, but what exactly is lake-effect snow?

According to the National Weather Service, lake-effect snow happens when cold air moves across the open waters of the Great Lakes. As the cold air passes over the unfrozen and relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, warmth and moisture are transferred into the lowest portion of the atmosphere. The air rises, clouds form and grow into narrow band that produces 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour or more.

READ MORE: More Cold On The Way As Polar Vortex Is Coming Back To New York

With Buffalo and Western New York's position at the easternmost end of Lake Erie, the region is prone to getting lots of lake effect snow. These storms can be especially intense when the lake doesn't freeze early in the winter season.

Less than 20% of Lake Erie has ice on it, which is far below the average for this time of year, and none of that ice is on our end, which means we should expect more lake effect if current weather conditions continue.

Watch A Lake Effect Storm Happen In Downtown Buffalo

In case you've never seen a lake effect storm happen, we have some video for you to check out that was taken from the top floor of the Rand Building in downtown Buffalo.

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Gallery Credit: Dave fields

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