Most parts of the United States have been reeling under sub-zero temperature for an extended duration. Heavy snowstorm lashing northeastern parts of the US at this time of the year is a bit unusual as thick wintry activity is generally experienced sometime during January.
The current weather system has already dumped 6 feet of snow in Buffalo and more heavy snow is the forecast for next two days. The first snowstorm of the season, can possibly drop snow equivalent to average snowfall of the year. This event may as well go down in the history as ‘most extreme’, at least for few locations over northeastern parts.
Severity of this snowstorm is being attributed to the ‘Lake Effect’. Such an effect occurs when a cool air mass moves over a large water body, under extreme cold atmospheric conditions. The water body acts as a source of thermal energy, which is important for the sustenance of the system. In this process, water vapors are picked up, they get frozen and are deposited on the leeward shores.
Indian sub-continent stands no chance to witness such an effect. Though, the northern parts do experience spells of icy winds, but there are no expansive water bodies in those latitudes to freeze the water vapors. In any case, the ‘Lake Effect’ is only confined to mid and higher latitudes and the tropics are generally spared.
