Astronomy Picture of the Day

Lake Effect Snow on Earth


Bild Note: 0 (0 Votes)

⏴ previousBild Upload von 18.02.2016 21:43next ⏵
zorg.ch
#57996 by @ 01.12.2004 00:00 - nach oben -
Lake Effect Snow on Earth


Explanation:
What are those strange clouds stretching out from these lakes?

The clouds are caused by cold air moving over a warm water
and result in bands of
lake-effect snow.

The rising bands of moistened, warmed air that drop
lake-effect snow alternate with clear bands of falling cold air.

During a winter, such bands can create
hundreds of centimeters of snow more than upwind areas only a
hundred kilometers away.

During this
lake-effect snowfall of 2000 December 5,
practically all of the state of
Michigan,
USA got covered.

A cold northwesterly wind over
Great Lakes
Superior and Michigan
created the unusual clouds.

The above image was taken with NASA's SeaWiFS satellite.




Credit & Copyright