Lake effect phenomenon: Heavy snow showers in northern USA

An interesting weather phenomenon happened on the Great Lakes and the Northeast on Friday.

Heavy snow showers are repeatedly sweeping across the eastern shores of the lakes, sometimes accompanied by winter storms with wind gusts. They can leave behind large amounts of snow in just a few hours, as this video from Michigan shows. The cause of the heavy snowfall is the so-called lake effect.

This phenomenon requires a strong cold wind that travels a long way over comparatively warm water, creating a significant temperature contrast with the cold air above. Resulting in heavy showers, one after the other. For the snow to remain on the ground, temperatures at ground level must be around or below 32 degrees F.