Pittsfield’s New Winter Challenge: Lake Effect Snow Is Harder to Predict Than Traditional Storms

Pittsfield's snow removal crews are facing a new challenge this winter, and it's not about the amount of snow, it's about predicting when and where it will fall. We've seen a few flash storms over the last couple of years - was all of that lake effect precipitation? Maybe.

Public Works Commissioner Ricardo Morales joined us on the radio today to discuss the city's snow removal plan, which included much discussion of independent contractors and the lowering of insurance rates for them this year - he also highlighted a shift that's making the job trickier: lake effect snow.

"Lake effect snow means [it affects] Pittsfield in an unpredictable way - less predictable than a normal, formed storm or weather system," Morales explained.

What Is Lake Effect Snow?

Lake effect snow occurs when cold air passes over warmer lake water. The unfrozen water transfers heat and moisture into the air, which rises, forms clouds, and eventually dumps snow on the leeward side of the lake.

We're not talking Pontoosuc or Onota - but the Great Lakes.

The result? Intense, narrow bands of snow that can be incredibly localized. You might get several inches in one neighborhood while it stays sunny just a mile away.

Why It's So Unpredictable

Unlike traditional weather systems that forecasters can track days in advance, lake effect snow bands are notoriously difficult to predict. These bands are typically less than three miles wide, and even small changes in wind direction can drastically shift where the heaviest snow falls.

In November 2014, Buffalo saw this extreme variability firsthand when lake effect snow dumped nearly seven feet in some areas while neighborhoods just a few miles away got only inches.

Why Western Massachusetts?

While Berkshire County isn't directly downwind of the Great Lakes like Buffalo or Syracuse, lake effect snow can still reach us, especially in higher elevations and northern areas. When combined with upslope flow from the mountains, even modest lake effect bands can deliver quick-hitting snow that's hard to anticipate.