Lake-Effect Rain Finally Easing Across the Soggy Great Lakes

It has been a messy week for the Great Lakes, thanks to a large zone of low pressure that has fueled a steady stream of moisture. When will relief from the elements arrive? Here is a closer look at what is happening in this corner of the U.S. as the last weekend of October approaches.

Lake-effect Rain Has Characterized the Week for the Great Lakes

An expansive area of low pressure brought more lake-effect rain showers to the eastern flanks of Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario on Thursday. The southern side of Lake Superior also experienced the impacts of the widespread lake-effect rain event.

The National Weather Service (NWS) field offices in Cleveland and Buffalo warned that the lake-effect rain would be characterized by its long-duration nature. Widespread rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are expected through the end of the week along the busy stretch of Interstate 90 between Cleveland and Buffalo. Localized amounts of up to 3 inches are also a possibility by the time that the prolonged event wraps up.

Wednesday was an especially wet day for Buffalo. The city on the shores of Lake Erie reported 1.81 inches of rain, smashing a daily rainfall record that it had stood for 113 years. The metro area in upstate New York also experienced severe storms on Monday, generating frequent lightning strikes over Lake Erie.