An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events
Lake-effect snow (LES) storms pose numerous hazards, including extreme snowfall and blizzard conditions, and insight into the large-scale precursor conditions associated with LES can aid local forecasters and potentially allow risks to be mitigated. In this study, a synoptic climatology of severe LE...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/8/872 |
| _version_ | 1797557664625983488 |
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| author | Jake Wiley Andrew Mercer |
| author_facet | Jake Wiley Andrew Mercer |
| author_sort | Jake Wiley |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Lake-effect snow (LES) storms pose numerous hazards, including extreme snowfall and blizzard conditions, and insight into the large-scale precursor conditions associated with LES can aid local forecasters and potentially allow risks to be mitigated. In this study, a synoptic climatology of severe LES events over Lakes Erie and Ontario was created using an updated methodology based on previous studies with similar research objectives. Principal component analysis (PCA) coupled with cluster analysis (CA) was performed on a case set of LES events from a study domain encompassing both lakes, grouping LES events with similar spatial characteristics into the primary composite structures for LES. Synoptic scale composites were constructed for each cluster using the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). Additionally, one case from each cluster was simulated using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model to analyze mesoscale conditions associated with each of the clusters. Three synoptic setups were identified that consisted of discrepancies, mostly in the surface fields, from a common pattern previously identified as being conducive to LES, which features a dipole and upper-level low pressure anomaly located near the Hudson Bay. Mesoscale conditions associated with each composite support differing LES impacts constrained to individual lakes or a combination of both. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:20:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb2b01c41cf347b697de14ec97ea131a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:20:58Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb2b01c41cf347b697de14ec97ea131a2023-11-20T10:22:33ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332020-08-0111887210.3390/atmos11080872An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow EventsJake Wiley0Andrew Mercer1Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, 75 B. S. Hood Road, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USADepartment of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, 75 B. S. Hood Road, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USALake-effect snow (LES) storms pose numerous hazards, including extreme snowfall and blizzard conditions, and insight into the large-scale precursor conditions associated with LES can aid local forecasters and potentially allow risks to be mitigated. In this study, a synoptic climatology of severe LES events over Lakes Erie and Ontario was created using an updated methodology based on previous studies with similar research objectives. Principal component analysis (PCA) coupled with cluster analysis (CA) was performed on a case set of LES events from a study domain encompassing both lakes, grouping LES events with similar spatial characteristics into the primary composite structures for LES. Synoptic scale composites were constructed for each cluster using the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR). Additionally, one case from each cluster was simulated using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) model to analyze mesoscale conditions associated with each of the clusters. Three synoptic setups were identified that consisted of discrepancies, mostly in the surface fields, from a common pattern previously identified as being conducive to LES, which features a dipole and upper-level low pressure anomaly located near the Hudson Bay. Mesoscale conditions associated with each composite support differing LES impacts constrained to individual lakes or a combination of both.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/8/872lake-effectclimatologynumerical weather predictionsynopticmesoscalewinter weather |
| spellingShingle | Jake Wiley Andrew Mercer An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events Atmosphere lake-effect climatology numerical weather prediction synoptic mesoscale winter weather |
| title | An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events |
| title_full | An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events |
| title_fullStr | An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events |
| title_full_unstemmed | An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events |
| title_short | An Updated Synoptic Climatology of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Heavy Lake-Effect Snow Events |
| title_sort | updated synoptic climatology of lake erie and lake ontario heavy lake effect snow events |
| topic | lake-effect climatology numerical weather prediction synoptic mesoscale winter weather |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/11/8/872 |
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