When is lake effect snow season?
Lake effect snow falls throughout the winter months across northwestern Pennsylvania. Lake effect snow can begin to fall as early as October and can last all the way until April. In October, the lake is still very warm. Colder air from Canada flowing over the lake can cause significant instability and subsequently cause precipitation to form. However, with the lake still so warm, the precipitation usually falls as rain, or a rain and snow mix. At times, snow will fall inland while along the lake shore, rain will fall due to warmth from the lake. As we progress through November, the atmosphere becomes colder and the lake also cools a bit. This is when the big lake snows begin. The atmosphere cools much more quickly than the lake, and this can produce extreme instability. December and January are the heart of lake effect snow season. Synoptic storms draw frequent shots of cold air southeastward across the lakes. The result is frequent bouts of lake effect snow, some of which can be cripp
