Geography
Lake-Effect Snow Belts Develop Downwind of Large Water Bodies
Quick fact
Some lake-effect snow belts, like those east of Lake Ontario, receive over 200 inches of snow per year, compared to less than 100 inches just a few miles away.
Why this is interesting
Imagine an area that gets three times more snow than neighboring towns, not because it's at a higher elevation, but because it sits downwind of a huge lake. Why does a lake, a body of water, turn some regions into snow magnets?