Why are we getting what’s called ‘lake-effect’ snow

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Blame it on that “warm” Lake Erie water and the direction of the wind.

Greater Cleveland is getting belted with snow again by that familiar regional weather pattern called “lake effect.”

What is it, for the uninitiated?

It occurs when cold air, usually from Canada, moves across Lake Erie’s warm, open waters. The water is collected in the air and then dumped on the land as snow.

Fall and early winter are prime times for this phenomenon before the lake freezes, explained Brian Mitchell from the National Weather Service in Cleveland, pointing out that the lake is still around 40 degrees.

Lake-effect snow can yield about 2 to 3 inches of snow per hour.

This snow, with winds going from west to east, typically hits the eastern side of Cuyahoga County and counties to the east harder because of the geography. It also means that while heavy snow may be falling in one location, the sun could be shining just a mile or two away.

Take a look at a map. It’s a reminder that the shoreline is pretty even - west to east - from around Sandusky to Cleveland before cutting Northeast.

That places Lake and Ashtabula counties more directly in the line of such storms and, famously, Buffalo at the eastern end of Lake Erie.

Early morning forecast from the National Weather Service in Cleveland for snowfall between the hours of 7 a.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday.National Weather Service

Additionally, it means that areas with higher elevation than the lake will also likely receive more snow.

Once the lake freezes, lake-effect snow will no longer occur. But if it stays warm, like in the early months of 2023, we are susceptible to similar conditions, like January 25 .

Zachary Smith is the data reporter for cleveland.com. You can reach him at See previous data stories at this link.