Download Lake Effect Snow Questions Name

Lake Effect Snow Questions
Name __________________________ Hour ____
Use the Lake Effect Snow Article and what you learned in class to answer these questions.
1.
2.
3.
4.
To get lake effect snow the air temperature must be __________. (warm or cold?)
To get lake effect snow the wind must blow over a lake that is __________. (small or large?)
To get lake effect snow the water temperature must be __________. (warm or cold?)
In the space below, copy the lake effect snow diagram from your Lake Effect Snow Article.
5. Describe what happens to the temperature and humidity of the air as it crosses the Great Lakes.
6. Choose the correct letter for the conditions most likely to generate lake effect snow and explain why.
Original Air Temp.
Lake Water Temp.
a.
40 F
40 F
North
b.
40 F
33 F
c.
30 F
35 F
West
East
d.
15 F
45 F
Explain why you chose that answer.
South
7. On the map to the right, carefully shade in the areas around
the Great Lakes that are likely to get lake effect snow.
For Questions 8-10 refer to the graph of Air and Water
Temperatures in your Lake Effect Snow Article.
8. As the weather turns colder through the fall and winter, which
cools faster – the air temperature or water temp.?
Escanaba
Milwaukee
Muskegon
Chicago
Michigan City
9. During which month is the air over the land much colder than the water?
a. February
b. May
c. August
d. December
10. During which month does Lake Michigan usually create the most lake effect snow?
a. December
b. January
c. February
d. March
In the space below, explain why you chose that answer and be sure to include the air
temperature and water temperature in your explanation.
11. Does Muskegon Lake generate lake effect snows?
a. No, because it is too small.
b. No, because the water is too warm.
c. Yes, because it is very large.
d. Yes, because the lake freezes over in the winter.
12. Chicago, Illinois occasionally gets lake effect snow. Which way would the wind have to be coming from to cause
it?
a. southwest
b. northwest
c. northeast
d. southeast
13. A wind from the north that crosses Lake Michigan would probably cause the most lake effect snow to fall on what
city?
a. Milwaukee
b. Escanaba
c. Muskegon
d. Michigan City
14. What would happen to the lake effect snow if the Great Lakes completely froze over?
15. Some of the snow that falls in Muskegon is caused by lake effect and some of the snow comes from winter storms
that move across the country. Estimate how much of Muskegon’s snow is lake effect and how much of it is from
other storms. Explain how you determined it. (Hint: Muskegon gets 96” of snow and Milwaukee gets 47”)
Lake Effect snow:
Snow from winter storms:
Explanation:
16. DESCRIBE (don’t just list) the three weather conditions from the Lake Effect Snow Article needed for lake effect
snow to develop.
1.
2.
3.
17. Why wouldn’t a very slow wind over the Great Lakes cause lake effect snow to fall on the land?
18. On the diagram below, draw a circle around the city that would get the most lake effect snow from a cold
northwest wind? (Circle only ONE of the 4 cities)
City
A
City
C
lake
lake
City
D
City
B
19. Explain how hills and mountains down wind of a lake help cause greater amounts of lake effect snow?