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Lake Effect Season begins

By Scott Lindstrom •

GOES-16 Visible (band 2, 0.64 µm) imagery, 1251 – 1511 UTC on 14 October 2024

CSPP Geosphere imagery, above (link), shows a band of cumulus clouds over central Lake Michigan. The still image, below, from 1600 UTC shows cool air and surface winds converging into this band.

GOES-16 Visible Imagery (Band 2, 0.64 µm), and Level 2 Lake Surface Temperatures (all values exceed 15 C) (Click to enlarge)

The toggle from 1201 UTC, below, shows the band in the Night Microphysics RGB with NEXRAD reflectivity overlain, and also surface and 850-mb observations. Note the 850-mb temperatures at Green Bay (-2o C) and at Detroit (-1o C) and at Gaylord MI (-5o C).

GOES-16 Night Microphysics along with NEXRAD Reflectivity, Surface Observations and 850-mb RAOB plots (Click to enlarge)

The temperatures at 850-mb are below zero (Celsius) and Lake Surface Temperatures are in the 17-18oC range (below, source). That difference is greater than the ca. 13 Celsius degrees needed to support Lake Effect bands.

Diagnosed Lake Surface Temperatures, 1200 UTC on 14 October 2024 (Click to enlarge)

The Lake Effect season has begun!

Categories: GOES-16