[MozartLover]

"It's why the first 3-10 miles (first couple of major hills usually do it) to the south or east of each of the Great Lakes......"

Or west. Don't forget west.

A town near the west shore of Lake Michigan had nearly 10 inches of lake effect snow two weeks ago. No other towns in the area got so much as a flake. The next day it happened again but was a bit more widespread.

When we get it it's off the bay (which Bit says ISN'T REALLY A BAY.)

[Bitwhacker]

You people up there must be the only people in the US that actually qualify the origin of your snow, as well as quantifying it...;-)

[kayak]

One of the funniest bloopers on live tv I ever heard was on the Weather Channel when someone was trying to explain the phenomenon of how the wind blowing across the lakes can dump HUGE amounts of snow on an area ...... he got tongue-tied and said this is called a snake-effect low!