kimerajamm
Joined: 28 Nov 2010
Posts: 785
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 Posted: Wed Feb 16, 2011 1:33 pm Post subject: The climatological effects |
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Lake Superior moderates the climate of those parts of Minnesota's Arrowhead Region near the shore. The lake acts as a heat sink, keeping the state's North Shore area relatively cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.[9] While this effect is marked near the lake, it does not reach very far inland. For example, Grand Marais on the lakeshore has an average July high temperature of 70 °F (21 °C), while Virginia, at about the same latitude but inland about 100 miles (161 km) to the west, has an average July high of 77 °F (25 °C). Conversely, Virginia's average high temperature in January is 15 °F (−9 °C), while Grand Marais' is 23 °F (−5 °C).[10] Just a few miles inland from Lake Superior are the Sawtooth Mountains, which largely confine the marine air masses and associated precipitation to lower elevations near the lake.[11]
The prevailing northwest winter winds also limit the lake's influence. Places near the shoreline can receive lake-effect snow, but because the state lies north and west of the lake, snowfall amounts are not nearly as large as they are in locations like Wisconsin and Michigan that lie downwind to the south.[8] Even so, the single largest snowstorm in Minnesota history was a lake effect event. On January 6, 1994 Finland, Minnesota, received 36 inches (91 cm) of lake effect snow in 24 hours, and 47 inches (119 cm) over a three day period. Both are Minnesota records. At 85 inches (216 cm) per year, the port city of Duluth has the highest average snowfall total of any city in Minnesota.[12] At 58.9 °F (14.9 °C), Grand Marais has the lowest average summer temperature of any city in the state.[13]
The climatological effects of Lake Superior tend to stifle convection, thus limiting the potential for tornadoes.[7] Although Cook and Lake counties are two of the largest counties in the state, they have experienced only 7 tornadoes in the past 56 years.[14] One of those tornadoes was a large F3 that occurred in the 1969 Minnesota tornado outbreak.
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