Satellite photo of Lake Superior

[Snowball 75]

Yesterday (Jan 19,2012) was clear and cold in Thunder Bay. I decided to have a look at the latest satellite photo of Lake Superior. Interesting photo. Are those clouds being formed over the lake?

Regards,

Snowball

[Pro fisherman-Stud Muffin 420]

thats bands of lake effect snow, hence why it was snowing other day at -19. cold air meets warmer lake , evaporate turns to snow.. we need a south wind to get lake effect snow. at least i think its snow???

[eddylives 99]

That really looks like cloud cover caused by the evaporation of Superior water for sure. If there is snow involved??

This just goes to show how much water is being lost from the lake due to the odd weather and lack of ice cover.

Conditions are right to see it there but this evaporation is going on all the time and will cause a significant fluctuation in lake levels which will effect next seasons boating.

A very interesting catch there snowball thanks

[Lyle Reiner 174]

Those are actually cirrius clouds. They are in the upper atmosphere and indicate poor weather in the next 24 to 48 hours IIRC

[eddylives 99]

Here is a link to the lake effect shown. It explains the way it happens.

/>http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=989

[Guest TerryK]

Those are actually cirrius clouds. They are in the upper atmosphere and indicate poor weather in the next 24 to 48 hours IIRC

I dont think they are cirrus clouds. Cirrus are too high in the atmosphere to be caused by the warm air above the big lake, which these clearly are.