Yes, it happens here in Nebraska. We live in the northeast corner of the state where there's a pocket where we get South Dakota weather. There's a highway that's just south of us that typically is the dividing line. South of the highway they'll get less snow/warmer temps and north of the highway we get colder temps and more snow. Something about the wind pattern dips the colder weather into our area.

But oh my 4+ feet of snow would be awful. We've had really cold temps but hopefully by the end of the week we'll have a day or two of above freezing.

It's the lake effect! And no, not many other places experience it. That cold air flows from Canada, picks up moisture from the lakes and dumps the cold, wet mess. I grew up in Syracuse and don't miss the winters one bit. The lake effect must be fragile because it seems to just stop at certain places.

I live in South Georgia and we often get crazy, loud thunderstorms. When I was growing up, they were few and fair between. We got rain but rarely got windy lightning filled storms.

We live in Eastern Pa less than a mile from the Appalachian Trail. Huge difference in weather from the house to our office less than ten miles away. Temps, precipitation, wind all of it. No sizeable lakes near us.
Grew up in SD and MN we had that same saying - Don't like the weather? Wait a minute.

Almost everywhere I've lived it's the same "wait 10 minutes" motto...except in the desert southwest where it was "wait 10 months" lol!

I've heard Buffalo and Erie have the wildest weather because of the lake effect. I'm on the southwest shore of a Great Lake, and the lake just has a temporizing effect on the weather...most of the time. Mind you, this current weather is most unusual all across the country!

Interesting! Here is a photo of what the "wall" looks like. The sun is still shining at my house.

Broke weather records for cold in DFW .... and yet .... we had record heat just a few weeks ago .... can't imagine what our winter weather will be this year .... and even worse .... our possibility for VERY bad spring storms .....

..... sheesh! ......

I used to visit friends up in Buffalo and on Grand Island. One year while we were there for Thanksgiving, it snowed and we lost our car under the snow there for days! You all get a LOT of snow in that area!

I live in the mountains at about 6,000 feet above sea level. One day in January it snowed about 6" in a few hours. It was my day for afternoon carpool, picking up DS and 3 friends at school in the town below. I loaded up my minivan with a snow shovel and kitty litter in case we got stuck. Threw blankets in, too. Got my then toddler DD and I dressed in snowsuits, hats, scarves, and boots. I slowly crept along our mountain road, through the pass . . . and there was no more snow! Just like that the sun was shining and there wasn't a trace of snow. DS and his friends thought it was hysterically funny that we arrived looking like we were from the Arctic Circle, and down in town they didn't even have their coats on!

Most days are beautiful here, but our temps routinely drop about 30-degrees every night, even in Summer.
Lynn

Lynninnewmexico, was it the year 2000? The monday before Thanksgiving was a crazy storm. It weird for us here to think about snow in New Mexico.

We actually don't get that much snow! Most years the winter festival in downtown Buffalo is cancelled. We do have great skiing for those who ski south of Buffalo. As said it is that crazy lake effect. Next week it is going to be 50 degrees and they are already worried about flooding.

Good to know weather is crazy other places too. : )

Debrak: No, DS was in middle school so it had to be somewhere around 1996-98.
Regarding New Mexico, this is High Mountain Desert, not Low Mountain Desert like much of Arizona is. We have the 4 distinct seasons here, but our Winters and Springs are milder than they get Back East or in Colorado, for example.
Lynn

Debra, the snow at my siblings Cheektowaga/West Seneca area was past my BIL's waist this morning.

We are watching the Sabres game for those who were able to make it out there. NBCSports right now. Unused tickets from tonight will be able to be exchanged. The players were there, so the game is on.

A lot of it is the lake effect. My brother lives near Rochester, NY, and when I drive out from New Hampshire in the winter, it can snow heavily on the NY Thruway for a while, then sun and bare ground, then snow again. Always near Utica, for some reason.

And just driving around in his area--snow deep on the ground. A few miles away, just a dusting.

The only time I see anything like that around here is when you go over a mountain. It can be cloudy on one side, and then you go down the other side and you can't see three feet in front of you for the snow.

Cold front in Florida, it's 58 degrees tonight in Boca.
I'm flying to Calgary friday, it's 26 there right now :(

camlan, I'm near Utica and you're right, it does always snow here. We see very little sun in the winter -- we're down in the Mohawk Valley AND in the lake effect area coming off Lake Ontario. :p

Mitch, I'm in the Orlando area and it's supposed to get to 38 tonight, which is very cold for this time of year. And the high on Sunday is supposed to be 80!

We also have the "wait five minutes" adage about the weather. In our case it refers to thunderstorms. :)

Donna

Wow, that wall is crazy looking. I've never seen anything quite that drastic, but on the way home from Northern Cali my daughter and I found out just how different the snow can be when hoping to head through the pass on I-80. It was chains only, she didn't have any and neither of us wanted to pay $165.00 for them for a one time use, so we turned around, headed south and took I-70 until we got far enough past the snow before heading north again.
Though it cost us quite a bit of time, the views was well worth it! The photo I took just minutes before the one I shared there was no snow, at all!

I wish I had the pic of all the guys without shirts while having beers and sitting down time with 5' of snow all around them. We were hit so bad the neighbors all got together and hand shoveled the roads out. -

It once was, and I keep wondering what happened to our weather, that greeting a couple of feet or more of snow would bring sunshine and warmth. One couldn't hate the snow much when we knew all would turn around. And anyone wearing layers of heavy clothes was definitely a tourist.

The last 3 years it has been frigid with ice layers due to the 40 degree difference from day to night. It has nothing to do with snow and feel bad for those having to walk or drive these roads. I'd rather have the huge feet of snow.

Have never seen the wall of weather posted. That looks frightening.

Teacats....our weather really has changed and wonder too what is in store for us.

That wall of snow is now moving North. No sun shining this morning here but so far no snow but I know its coming.

Unfortunately 5 people have died due to this storm. 1 was hit by a car trying to push his car. 3 died of apparent heart attacks while shoveling and 1 found dead in his car after being stuck overnight.

I hope this is not the start of a very bad winter. I could not believe hearing on the weather channel last night that all 50 states would have a temp below freezing during the night.

DH was in Camp Drum (at that time) in Watertown NY when he was in the Army. He talks about how they used to park all the vehicles on one side of the parking lot. After a snow, all you'd see were the antennas on the cars...couldn't even see what was car and what was not. They'd plow half the lot. They'd then have to wipe the snow away down to a car to see what color it was and figure out whose it was. They then used a winch on a 3/4 ton truck to tow the cars out from under the snow and plow the other half of the lot and then wait for the next snow storm.

A buddy from CA was moving to Erie PA and I kept teasing him to be sure to get an apartment on the 2nd floor so he could see out the windows all year!

But none of my NE living prepared me for what we saw at Crater Lake in June. The road around the lake was open, but there was a side road that had cones up. So of course we went anyway only to be met by a wall of snow across the road that was easily 15' high. They typically get about 44' of snow each winter, with a record fall of 73'.

I believe the original quote was Mark Twain: âÂÂIf you don't like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.âÂÂ

Lynn, that is so funny!

That picture is fascinating. I've been looking at them online and I just can't believe how much snow there is!

We're one of those states where you wait a bit and the weather will change. Last week for instance, it got in the 80's and I had my a/c on. By nightfall it was in the low 20's.

The craziest weather we've had was one Spring during tornado season, and because a low pressure was bullseye on our state, the whole state was in a tornado watch. I was home alone and in my cellar most of the day! lol

At least in Hawaii the below freezing temps were way up in the mountains. Most living there will never feel that cold.

My brother lives near Rochester, NY. He says they got about an inch of snow. The kids were disappointed--they had been hoping for a snow day, but had to go to school.

Ten miles west of them, however, the interstate is closed because of the amount of snow. They are right between the lake effect snow from Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, and just missed the worst of it.

Our schools are closed not because of actual snow but because so many teachers live in the affected area. I have less than 4".

Roofs are now collapsing. DS's college is closed so he drove south and ran into the wall. He said is was amazing how it appeared that a main road in the area was the dividing line. One side is fine, but as soon as you cross that road you have deep snow.

Not crazy lake effect snow, but crazy like I had screens in the windows over the weekend but had to leave the faucets dripping to prevent frozen pipes a few days later.

Weather. Who knew?

Lake Michigan gets the effect too. The current pattern is dumping snow in Michigan, not us, but not the freakish amounts like NY.

Wellllll.Uffda for Buffalo!
I love snow but....UFFDA!

Here in Fargo, it was 1 or 2deg above 0 a little while ago!!
On Sat., we might be in the 30's!!!

Uffda....;-)

Faron

I have never seen that before! So cool!!

Its supposed to be 58 degrees here by Monday. Can you imagine the flooding? More roofs are collapsing. I could not get a gallon of milk today at my local store because trucks can't get through. Some gas stations in and out of the area can't get gas deliveries.

Hi, Debra, my sister texted that she got out yesterday and even got to her hair salon. But, yes, lots of roof collapses in their area. Official totals for them were something like 65 inches. Very sad that there were a few people who were stranded who died in their cars, and one lady who was very lucky who was rescued.

Still, made me think about "the grid" thread in that people were clearly not ready for this volume of snow even in Buffalo.

The melting has started. All the snow at my house it gone. Green grass in the yard.

The stories of those who died or were stuck in cars really bother me. For Christmas I'm making up emergency boxes for the family. Each one is getting one of those hammers that will break car glass.

gsciencechick, if you are familiar with the Galleria Mall, a friend and I went on Friday night. The mall was open and hardly anyone there which was a very weird sight as this a busy entertainment complex in our area especially at this time of year. Some stores were closed, other had limited staff but they were so happy to see customers I got an extra 35% off at one store.

It was kinda of weird to be shopping when so many were struggling to get out of their homes, etc. but there are still driving bans in the hard hit areas.

Apparently all this crazy lake effect weather is due to a Typhoon near Asia pushed the jet stream out of whack.

debrak, and others! What are you putting in your emergency boxes? I think that is a good idea for Christmas.

I'm sorry to say, I don't have an emergency box. We are getting a storm shelter in the next couple of months and I have been waiting for it to be installed before getting emergency things together. I better start now though.

edited to add "for Christmas"

This post was edited by olliesmom on Sun, Nov 23, 14 at 11:04

Olliesmom, I'll start another post for ideas of what to put in these boxes.

It is supposed to be in the liw 70s here tomorrow and snow on Wednesday. Sheesh. Yardwork tomorrow-yippee. Snow Wednesday? Another yippee-especially if it comes early enough and accumulates enough (highly unlikely) for us to get a snow day off from school. Highly unlikely as well.