Early-Season Lake-Effect Rain!

Written by: Jonathan Myers

Early this morning we saw what is typically more of a Fall phenomenon over Western and Central New York: lake-effect rain! Similar to lake-effect snow, on the radar it shows up as bands of precipitation streaming downwind of the Great Lakes (in this case, as pictured left, off of Lake Ontario). Also just like lake-effect snow, it is caused by chilly air running over the relatively warm Great Lakes waters. Lake-effect rain, though, forms during weather that is not quite as cold, typically earlier in the season. Since it does form during relatively "warmer" weather, air temperatures are above freezing, allowing the precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow.