ROCHESTER, N.Y. – If I mention the weather “wonder” we call lake effect, you may be thinking of heavy snow squalls. But did you know that some form of lake effect can happen anytime of the year?

A good example of spring lake effect took place this past Wednesday. The high temperature south of Rochester at the village of Dansville was recorded at 70 degrees, but just about 75 miles to the northeast, at the Oswego County Airport, they recorded a temperature only 57 degrees. This significant difference in the temperature is due to each communities proximity to Lake Ontario. This is a big challenge for the meteorologists because of a micro climate that is located within a couple of miles of Lake Ontario. This makes for a challenging forecast simple based on a change in wind direction and that in turn can have a big impact on temperature. This disparity starts with the very large temperature deference between the land and the water. In early March, the lake water temperature is only in the mid-30s, but during the daylight hours the land will heat-up much faster. For example, over land the stronger March sunshine can push the temperature well into 60s. That warmer air is less dense, lighter and causes the air to rise. Something has to replace that rising air and that is the colder, heavier and more dense air over Lake Ontario.

This is something that happens frequently, especially early in the warmer season. I guess you could say it is mother nature’s way of providing a little bit of air conditioning for the lakeside communities.