Watch A Massive Lake Effect Snow Storm Blow Into Buffalo

The last several days have seen places all over the United States get absolutely pummeled with snow and cold. From Maine to Michigan, New Hampshire to northern Florida, America got a big blast of winter weather that caused hardship across the nation.

Of course, the Empire State was part of the places that got hit, and several places in Upstate New York saw the combination of bitter cold temperatures and large snow totals that you could measure with a yardstick.

One of the reasons places like Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and others see a large amount of snow is due to a weather phenomenon called Lake Effect Snow. But what effect does the Great Lakes have on snowfall in the region, and have you ever seen a lake effect snowstorm in action?

What Is Lake Effect Snow, & What Causes It?

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.

KEEP READING: Please Stop Driving Around Buffalo With Bald Tires

With Buffalo's position at the easternmost end of Lake Erie, and Syracuse and Rochestrers position south and southeast of Lake Ontario, our 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.

More than 90% of Lake Erie has ice on it, this should do a lot to reduce essentially shut down the lake effect snow machine in Buffalo. Lake Ontario only has around 20% ice cover, which means that the body of water is still capable of enhancing snowstorms.

Watch A Lake Effect Storm Happen In Downtown Buffalo

It's a very wild experience to be caught in a lake effect snow event. It's even wilder if you can see it from high atop the city. Check out the video below from the 29th floor of the Rand Building in downtown Buffalo. You can see exactly how quickly a lake effect storm can hit.