Land of lake effect

[ArlyA]

igured you might not be able to resist chiming in with some snark, lol.
First of all 230” is absolutely in the higher end of annual snow totals.
Second, buffalo has a low annual average because they do not get consistent, continuous lake-effect like you often do. But i dont recall houghton ever getting a 5 or 6 foot dump in a two day event. You dont have the long lake “fetch” or warmer water temps of lake erie. When cold air blows hard in just the right direction in November, Buffalo gets effect dumpage like you can only dream of (in reality, its a life threatening danger).

Here is some data figures from
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These page stats are copied from the MTU snow stats page because MTU's wasn't updated.
NOTE: As of December 2009, the MTU weather page is updated. Give it a visit. Link below.
Michigan Technological University is located in Houghton, Michigan 49931

In memory of MTU Professor James Carstens who passed away Oct. 27, 2003 and had maintained a MTU weather site.

MTU Weather page

​

Winter Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Total Inches 2016-17 0.00 6.00 74.50 55.25 36.00 2.75 5.50 180.00 2015-16 0.00 8.25 19.25 71.50 48.50 16.25 11.25 01.5 176.5 2014-15 1.75 38.25 35.75 46.25 41.50 10.25 7.75 181.5 2013-14 2.0 10.75 74.25 55.25 29.0 15.0 22.5 208.75 2012-13 2.00 18.5 17.75 67.00 51.0 34.50 33.00 2.0 225.75 2011-12 18.0 24.0 52.5 25.5 10.5 1.5 132.0 2010-11 25.5 32.5 72.0 18.0 12.5 18.0 178.5 2009-10 3.0 3.5 86.5 38.50 19.0 150.5 2008-09 17.0 69.5 84.50 27.0 4.5 14.5 217 2007-08 21.25 39.75 55.00 32.00 23.75 13.50 185.05 2006-07 6 5.50 26.5 37.75 36.5 20 132.25 2005-06 36.0 77.5 30.0 49.5 26.5 0 219.5 2004-05 5.50​ 7.25​ 50.63​ 57.38​ 25.75​ 17.75​ ​ ​ 164.26​ 2003-04 1.0​ 15.5​ 47.5​ 105.5​ 37.5​ 21.5​ 2.0​ ​ 230.5​ 2002-03 5.0​ 27.5​ 40.5​ 67.0​ 44.0​ 35.0​ 0​ 0​ 229.0​ 2001-02 2.5​ 13.5​ 71.0​ 43.0​ 54.0​ 62.0​ 5.5​ 0.5​ 252.0​ 2000-01 1.5​ 25.0​ 107.5​ 57.0​ 72.0​ 38.5​ 2.0​ ​ 303.7​ 1990-1999​

 

[MossRoad]

Here is some data figures from
------------------------------------------

These page stats are copied from the MTU snow stats page because MTU's wasn't updated.
NOTE: As of December 2009, the MTU weather page is updated. Give it a visit. Link below.
Michigan Technological University is located in Houghton, Michigan 49931

In memory of MTU Professor James Carstens who passed away Oct. 27, 2003 and had maintained a MTU weather site.

MTU Weather page

​

​ ​ Winter Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May Total Inches 2016-17 0.00 6.00 74.50 55.25 36.00 2.75 5.50 180.00 2015-16 0.00 8.25 19.25 71.50 48.50 16.25 11.25 01.5 176.5 2014-15 1.75 38.25 35.75 46.25 41.50 10.25 7.75 181.5 2013-14 2.0 10.75 74.25 55.25 29.0 15.0 22.5 208.75 2012-13 2.00 18.5 17.75 67.00 51.0 34.50 33.00 2.0 225.75 2011-12 18.0 24.0 52.5 25.5 10.5 1.5 132.0 2010-11 25.5 32.5 72.0 18.0 12.5 18.0 178.5 2009-10 3.0 3.5 86.5 38.50 19.0 150.5 2008-09 17.0 69.5 84.50 27.0 4.5 14.5 217 2007-08 21.25 39.75 55.00 32.00 23.75 13.50 185.05 2006-07 6 5.50 26.5 37.75 36.5 20 132.25 2005-06 36.0 77.5 30.0 49.5 26.5 0 219.5 2004-05 5.50​ 7.25​ 50.63​ 57.38​ 25.75​ 17.75​ ​ ​ 164.26​ 2003-04 1.0​ 15.5​ 47.5​ 105.5​ 37.5​ 21.5​ 2.0​ ​ 230.5​ 2002-03 5.0​ 27.5​ 40.5​ 67.0​ 44.0​ 35.0​ 0​ 0​ 229.0​ 2001-02 2.5​ 13.5​ 71.0​ 43.0​ 54.0​ 62.0​ 5.5​ 0.5​ 252.0​ 2000-01 1.5​ 25.0​ 107.5​ 57.0​ 72.0​ 38.5​ 2.0​ ​ 303.7​ 1990-1999​ ​

That's a lot of snow!

 

[ArlyA]

I’m in the lower thumb and it’s snowing good. One of the last times I was in houghton snowmobiling we got over 2’ of fresh snow in a night.

In the years we live here, a while back we got 50" in 48 hours. Was that 1/2 the snow Buffalo gets per year?

 

[civilian]

We got the system snow from the east yesterday and today. A good 6+ inches. Now the winds have switched to NW and the lake effect starts. More snow to the west, but we may get some. Jon

 

[Keweenaw County Yooper]

This is the amount of snow we can get in a month up here. We can always count on having a white Christmas.

 

[stuckmotor]

National Weather Service is predicting 5-10 inches. Accuweather is saying 8-12 inches. However it is lake effect. Right now 10 miles north of my office they have had 6 inches of snow. We have had some very minor flurries.

Later today the wind is supposed to shift to being more NW rather than WNW. That will increase the chance the lake effect sets up over my house.

I am glad the tractor is rigged for winter operations and the snowblower is full of fuel and was test run last month.

Got to love the land of lake effect.

I had a friend who's twin brother lived in Buffalo NY. She was always talking about the lake effect snow they had up there. She's passed on and I hope he's doing well.

 

[MossRoad]

Goofy thing about lake effect snow bands. Yesterday and last night people just a couple miles north, south, and west of us got half a foot of snow or better.... we got about an inch. I can still see the driveway. That inch that we did get was the stickiest wet heavy stuff I've seen in a while, though.

 

[fishheadbob]

I live in Buffalo's snow belt where lake effects are routine. We measure snow in feet, not inches. 5 or 6 years ago we got 6 feet overnight, which the forecasters didn't really see coming. Being a weather geek I pay close attention to forecasters, most are full of hype "Up to 4 feet tonight; be sure to stay tuned at 6 and 11." Yeah, stay tuned so we get better ratings and can charge the lawyers more for ads. When you press a forecaster about his outrageous predictions that didn't happen they get defensive and talk about public safety. Somebody who lives on a hilltop in the middle of nowhere may actually get a few feet so the forecaster can say I told you so.
Meanwhile I have to go to the store to stock up on milk, bread, and eggs. We must eat a lot of french toast when it snows. They're calling for a couple of feet tonight. We'll see.

 

[MossRoad]

Milk sandwiches!

 

[MossRoad]

... They're calling for a couple of feet tonight. We'll see.

Yeah, we're calling for you to get a couple feet too.... from Indiana.