Chicago has always been known for its crazy wind and cold winters. Lake effect snow can cause some of the worst snow storms, leaving the city with up to 35 inches of snow each year. Here is why:
Throughout the winter Chicago falls under a Continental polar (cP) air mass, meaning it is very cold and dry. While the atmosphere remains stable, meaning it needs a force to move it, a high pressure exists.
Having High air pressure allows for the atmosphere to absorb parts of the surface, such as water evaporation. As the pressure moves from High to Low, the high speed winds that move the weather front across Lake Michigan combined with the moisture from the lake create lake effect snow. The steep pressure gradient across the Great Lakes region causes stronger winds because of the faster transition from High to Low.
As the weather front moves across Lake Michigan the warm water evaporates into the clouds increasing the amount of water vapor in the clouds. By the time the front reaches land, with a cooler surface, there is enough moisture in each cloud to create large amounts of snowfall.
Snowfall can leave the crowded city in a state of winter wonderland
Lake effect snow can cover the entire Great Lake region as shown in the picture above. Chicago sits right on Like Michigan making it susceptible to some of the worst snow storms, and giving it the nickname “The Windy City”
Images taken from Bing and from Professor Allen's daily lectures
Great job on this blog! I though you did a great job explaining the processes that you did. I also thought that the pictures you showed were really great and they helped out your blog and made it really interesting. My only suggestion would be to use your captions as a tool to help your blog more, you could have included more information in them to further your presentation. Great job, this is one of the best I have seen!
ReplyDeleteDustin Reed
I thought you did a great job on your blog. I espically liked all the pictures they really helped me and others figure out the exact process involved. One of things I would suggest maybe improving on for your next blog is put captions under the photos expalning them and what they show. Also just a little factoid Chicago isn't called the windy city because of the weather it comes the political system and politics they have. Most people don't know that though. I just know because I grew up there my whole life. Overall it was very well done.
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