I hate Lake Effect!!!!

[LosinIt]

I swear that it snows here practically every day. Take a look at a map of the Great Lakes and areas to the east and south of each of the lakes get this 'extra' snow, not associated with a storm system. It is cold air going over the lakes that picks up moisture and then drops it on the land.

We have over two feet of snow on the ground and still coming. We are on the southeast corner of Lake Ontario and are supposed to get another 5 to 8 inches today.

I work nights so I am on my way to bed. Looks like another fun drive into work again tonight. At least there is less traffic at 11PM.
</whining>

[Robb]

1. We have "hot spring effect" in the valley

Upriver a few miles is a geothermal spring, which returns (mostly) to the river. Which makes the river several degrees warmer than your typical river. Which makes a fog you couldn't believe would be possible at 7,000 feet whenever the temperature dips below 10 degrees or so (F).

On the plus side, I've gone down there in the morning several times this year and discovered "flocking" (that fuzzy-looking ice buildup) on trees and fences that was, I swear, like an inch and a half deep. Very neato!

Hey, drive safe, ya big whiney!! ;)

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. I drive around the Southern point of Lake Michigan quite often and

I agree it is pretty darned irritating. It starts in Kalamazoo and doesn't end until I am almost to Milwaukee. It gets really tiresome on the eyes. Many times I have had to stop for the night because it has been so bad. Be safe!

Laura

[HereSince1628]

3. But cold without snow is just, well, COLD

Think of all the things you have that folks in Orlando miss

300 horsepower self-propelled snow throwers
"Snow banks" which cushion SUV's otherwise lethal slides into trees
Mastery of choosing among various tread patterns for your snow tires
speaking of which, you always have 2 spares in storage.
Fire hydrant markers...little flags on top of 8 ft rods.
16 different words for snow, 15 which can't be said on television
Hardware stores selling shovels with ergonomic handles sized for the 6ft 6 inch son that you never had.
Free upper body work-outs, and the satisfaction that comes from knowing the plow will drive by 5 minutes after you shovel out the end of the drive.

[Robb]

4. LOL!

"16 different words for snow, 15 which can't be said on television"

I'm rippin' that one off! That's dang funny!! :D

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. ..and don't forget the $20 replacement chain for above mentioned

snow blower because it breaks every time it hits ice or pavement. :P

[ewagner]

6. Running battle

you hit it on the head:

Free upper body work-outs, and the satisfaction that comes from knowing the plow will drive by 5 minutes after you shovel out the end of the drive.

I've had a running battle with our snow plow driver for years. I swear to God he sits at the end of the block and waits for me to finish. Once he danmed near buried me while I was finishing blowing out the driveway....it earned him a "one-finger-salute" and it's been constant warfare ever since.

I feel inadequate now........I don't have a 300 hp snowblower...(sniff, sniff,) mine's only 8hp.........

[July]

7. Oswego?

I've been there, and the lake effect there is worse than it is in my home town of Buffalo. You have my sympathy.

[Cannikin]

8. You could be down here in Arkansas.....

Its 30 today....could be 80 tomorrow.....We dont have a true winter here....fall and spring just brawl for a few weeks. I miss snow!

[HereSince1628]

10. 2 years ago I climbed Pinnacle in Feb...

It was 80 degrees, I was coming down with the flu and I thought I was gonna die.

[youngred]

12. 30 to 80 oh no!

in upstate NY it can be below zero and then up into the 70s and then back below zero in 3 days.

[LosinIt]

14. Close to Oswego, Sodus Point

Oswego actually gets it worse than we do. They have been out of snow days since last week.

[nykiera]

17. Pulaski here

And we have only used 1 snow day...for which my children are not happy!

[Catshrink]

9. Damn cold! The wind chill is the worst.

I lived in Chicago for 15 years and understand completely. I keep reminding myself of that when it hits 115°F (that °F is for you Cannucks) here in Phoenix in the summer. I just tell myself "sure it's hot, but you don't need to shovel snow."

[youngred]

11. No no silly Lake Effect is wonderful!

You have to love just getting snow dumped on at random.

Did you know the Great Lakes reigon and the northern Islands of Japan are the only places in the world where leake effect exists.

I miss snow on this clear, sunny, cool DC day.

Where are you near waterloo or Oswego?

[arwalden]

13. Where Is Lake Effect? How's The Fishing At Lake Effect?

[Mari333]

15. we got dumped on also by Lake Michigan

hate it. Im old, this sucks. I hate winter. 20 inches, fuck it. Hate it.

[Cleita]

16. I feel sorry for you.

If it's any consolation Spring is on the way. :-)

[LosinIt]

19. Don't feel TOO sorry for me, it's worth it for the summers on the Bay

Here is a link to a picture of the bay:
http://www.greatsodusbay.org/

I don't know how to display it here. From May to October you couldn't find a better place to live, it's like being on vacation all the time. But these winters try one's soul.

[Interrobang]

18. Yeah, lake effect. I hear ya.

You know that arrowhead-shaped piece of Ontario that sticks down into the heartland of the US, kind of like some sort of deranged throwing weapon? Notice that it's surrounded on three sides by lakes, and if you look at a top map, you'll also notice that most of it is a lovely bowl valley fenced off on the fourth side by the Niagara Escarpment (a sort of primordial mountain remnant). I live right in the middle of that, and there's perpetually a snow streamer parked over us (my dad the pilot's seen it from the air) -- it comes off Lake Huron and Lake Ontario, thanks to the prevailing winds. I think it's snowed every day since I got home from New York, two weeks ago, and it snowed the day before that, too.

We must have at least a half-metre of snow, which isn't as much as some places get, but it's plenty.

It could be worse... My aunt and uncle who live on Lake Huron (Kincardine, ON) had to deal with *a metre and a half* (like 4 feet or so) of snow last winter. Due to drifting, the back of their house was covered ground to eaves. Bleah.

[LosinIt]

20. The drive in last night was not as white-knuckle as it has been

but a woman who was merging ahead of me did a 360. It even gave me a wicked adrenaline rush! She didn't hit anything/body.