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Frozen lakes greatly reduce the amount of moisture available to generate snow, and the lake effect machine is effectively shut off for the year once the lake freezes. Frictional convergence once the wind comes onshore and hits the land, especially if there are high elevations nearby, will allow for some additional lift, but it won't do much.
Lake Erie is really the only Great Lake that freezes completely, and it doesn't do so every year.
Of course, there are shades of grey here. Even when a lake is frozen "completely", there are still ice leads and other small areas that are open and participate in the latent heat fluxes that drive lake effect snow, but again, this won't contribute a lot either. Conversely, all five of the lakes begin to freeze near shorelines and in their shallower waters, so that removes a small source from the fetch of the lake.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Yes, lake effect snows can still occur even if the Great Lakes are frozen. The temperature difference between the cold air flowing over the warm waters can still create the conditions for lake effect snow to form. However, the extent and intensity of the snow may be less than when the lakes are unfrozen.
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How do the Great Lakes affect the weather?
the great lake effect the weather because of a rain effect or something like that . What happens is when rain clouds collect the moisture from the lakes it creates a build up inside the clouds then "dumps" the precipitation next to the states of the lakes
Why are the great lakes so great?
because the lakes are big
Why doesn't lake effect snow fall to the north or west of the great lakes?
Lake-effect snow doesn't fall north or west of the great lakes because the cold front moves to the south east. As it moves it picks up water vapor and heat. The heat and watervapor condenses and falls as snow
Why do lakes and rivers do not freeze suddenly in winters?
Lakes, and to a lesser degree, rivers, freeze as the ambient temperature reduces below Zero. This never happens "suddenly" and it takes time for the water to assume the surrounding temperature.
In which direction are the Great Lakes from the US?
The Great Lakes are located to the north of the United States.
When did Great Lakes Patrol happen?
Great Lakes Patrol happened in 1864.
When did Great Lakes Bowl happen?
Great Lakes Bowl happened in 1947.
Do tides occur in lakes?
Most lakes are too small for the effect to be great or, if any at all. Tides are not always caused by the gravitational pull pf the moon and have no effect on small bodies of water, such as lakes. Even the Great Lakes tides are less than 5 centimeters in height
How do the Great Lakes affect the weather?
the great lake effect the weather because of a rain effect or something like that . What happens is when rain clouds collect the moisture from the lakes it creates a build up inside the clouds then "dumps" the precipitation next to the states of the lakes
What are the Great Lakes used for What river connects them to the Atlantic Ocean?
what does the moisture near the Great Lakes do to the amount of snow that falls there called "lake effect snow"
How are dunes affected by the great lakes?
The Great lakes effect the dunes in many ways. One of the ways the great lakes effect the dunes is by simply being great bodies of fresh water filling in the gaps between the dunes. If there were not a lake there wouldn't be a sand dune. Also the wind that the lake creates moves/pushes up the sand. The great lakes can also affect them in ways that are not so good. Like, if there were no marram grass... then the lakes would effect the dunes and the dunes would pretty much crumble and fall apart right under your feet.
How can fruit be grown near the Great Lakes which is in the northern (and normally colder) part of the country?
the Great Lakes, as a large body of water, have a moderating effect on winter temperatures
If ice would sink what happen to earth?
oceans and lakes would freeze solid and all life inthe water would die.
Why do rivers not freeze and lakes do?
the reason rivers don't freeze is because rivers are always moving where as there alot less movement in lakes
What happens to the water level in the great lakes when floating chunks of ice melt?
When floating chunks of ice in the Great Lakes melt, they contribute to a slight elevation in the water level. However, this effect is minimal compared to other factors like precipitation and evaporation. The overall impact on the water level is temporary and typically quickly absorbed by the vast size of the lakes.
How do lakes freeze over?
cold air
How do lakes effect settlement?
People would generally settle near a water source, lakes provided this so they would be great locations for settlement.
