The Great Lakes are one of the most recognizable geographic features across the United States. Holding 21% of the world’s freshwater, their importance in the winter becomes even more relevant as we get into the colder months, thanks to a phenomenon we call lake effect snow!
These slow moving snow showers that roar off the lake can quickly grind daily operations to a halt in a variety of industries. Whether a city or a small community, “bands” of lake effect snow can be responsible for most seasonal snowfall totals across those areas.
Lake effect snow is caused by wind and temperature differences. When cold air moves over the warmer lake water, moisture and heat will rise into the atmosphere, allowing the formation of clouds. These clouds will continue to expand, eventually reaching the shore line, resulting in snow showers. 
While there are a variety of different types of lake effect snow, the influence of wind direction, moisture content, etc… can createchallenges of where a snow band can be set up across a region.Counties along the shorelines of the Great Lakes know all too well that a narrow, 5-10 mile wide band can dump a foot of snow in a 24 hour period, while another county10 miles to the west could only see a couple inches.
This can be an even greater challenge for schools making decisions about transportation /safety, emergency services ensuring operational capacity, and snow removal services fully prepared to handle a heavy snow event. Slight, sudden variations in the wind direction can completely bust a forecast for those not prepared.
At BAMwx, we recognize the challenges of forecasting for these types of events, and have a greater understanding of the difficulty involved with preparing for such an event. What do we do differently? It all starts with one line:
Making weather decisions simple for everyone with the best forecast. Period.
By utilizing BAMwx’s services, you have the following tools to keep your team informed and prepared. These are just a few of the numerous features you have access to with Clarity:
- Utilizing a 24/7 chat with meteorologists to ensure you are making effective decisions for your organization.
- Viewing detailed video analysis breaking down critical forecast risks and impacts, days to even a week in advance
- Monitoring PaveCast/Treatment Recommendations – By taking into account the pavement temperature and snowfall rates, you can adequately manage complex treatment plans and staffing.
- Custom alerting with specialized graphics indicating where and when lake effect bands can impact your area!