[--MAIN HOME--] [--ALL HABYHINTS--] [--FACEBOOK PAGE--] LES: FRICTIONAL CONVERGENCE METEOROLOGIST JEFF HABY In lake effect snow (LES) situations, the heaviest snow tends to not fall right at the shoreline but rather a little ways inland. As the air moves over the water is gains heat and moisture from the much warmer lake waters. The force of friction is less over water than over land. As the air moves from water to land it slows down some since there is more friction over the land. This causes a convergence axis to develop just downwind from the lake and perpendicular to the direction of the wind. The diagram below shows the flow of air over the water and onto the land. A convergence axis develops over the land and at this location the heaviest of the lake effect snow tends to occur. Notice on the diagram that the wind vectors are longer over the water and shorter over the land. Over time this causes air to pile up and thus vertically rise over the land. There are also several other factors that determine where the heaviest lake effect snow occurs such as topography, wind speed, position of dynamic lifting mechanisms, and lake fetch.