Chapter 6, Problem 1FQ

To determine

The two main factors contributing to the increased precipitation caused by the lake effect.

Answer to Problem 1FQ

The two predominant factors affecting the increased precipitation triggered by the lake effect are the warm water of the lake and the cold land to the east.

Explanation of Solution

Lake effect defines the lake effect snow, which mostly occurs in a cooler atmospheric setting, where a cooler air mass blows across long areas of warmer lake water. The lower layer of the cold mass of air moving across the relatively warmer water in the lake becomes warmer, because of which it takes up moisture from the lake and ascends up through the cooler air aloft. The taken up moisture then gets frozen and is laid down on the downwind shores.

In case if the temperature of the air is so low to hold the precipitation frozen, then it would fall as lake effect snow and if the temperaure is not that low, the precipitaion would be in the form of rain (lake effect rain). Hence, for the lake effect snow or rain to take place, the mass of air moving across the lake must be considerably cooler compared to that of the surface air and the lake water must be warmer.