"lake effect"

[plazaglass]

We're under a "lake effect" winds watch in the Jacksonville area today.

There's not a lake, at least no large weather-changing ones, within many miles. So what does that term really mean?

[wjs3]

Hi, plazaglass:

I think you might be confusing the term "lake effect"--which is used for fun stuff like lake-effect snows and lake-effect winds (thermally driven winds similar to sea breezes that can form around lakes) with "lake wind advisory"--an advisory issued for area lakes when wind speeds are high.

What you are actually under in the Jacksonville area is a "Lake Wind Advisory". It covers quite an area, and while I don't know Jacksonville well, I am sure there are small lakes in the area. Such an advisory is issued when strong winds can make boating conditions unsafe on local lakes. For your information, I've copied the text of the advisory valid in your area here:

...LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...
...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 12 PM TO 8 PM EDT SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED A WIND
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 12 PM TO 8 PM EDT SUNDAY. A
LAKE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING.

GUSTY SOUTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EARLY EVENING WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 30 MPH.

WINDS WILL BE EVEN STRONGER ON SUNDAY BEHIND A COLD FRONT THAT
WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA IN THE MORNING. WEST WINDS SUNDAY
AFTERNOON WITH BE 25 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH AT TIMES.

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS OF 25 TO 39 MPH
ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...
ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ON AREA BRIDGES. MOTORISTS
SHOULD USE EXTRA CAUTION.



It looks to me like the regular "wind advisory"--which uses the language of high profile vehicles--got accidentally used in this lake winds advisory by the Jax office. For further reference, I've copied a similar advisory form the neighboring Tallahassee office which explains things a bit more and uses the correct "boating" language...




...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ THIS
AFTERNOON TO 11 PM EDT /10 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TALLAHASSEE HAS ISSUED A LAKE
WIND ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ THIS
AFTERNOON TO 11 PM EDT /10 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING.

.A STRONG COLD FRONT AND SQUALL LINE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST
AREA BEGINNING THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WESTERN COUNTIES AND
DURING THE LATE EVENING AND NIGHTTIME HOURS ACROSS THE EASTERN
COUNTIES. AHEAD OF THESE SYSTEMS...STRONG ONSHORE WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED. THIS WILL CAUSE
HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA LAKES.

A LAKE WIND ADVISORY INDICATES THAT WINDS WILL CAUSE A ROUGH CHOP
ON AREA LAKES. SMALL BOATS WILL BE ESPECIALLY PRONE TO CAPSIZING.



Hope this helps!

WJS3

[plazaglass]

Thanks, wjs3.

That's it, of course. I think I need to take a break from weather-watching -- I'm hearing things!