Blizzard!: Re: Southern storms

» weather_doctor - Re: Southern storms

In response to message posted by biogardener:

The main reason is a closeness to a big moisture source. Minnesota is closer to the Gulf of Mexico, the main source of eastern North America moisture. The wind currents high in the atmosphere that bring it northward into Minnesota don't often make it into the Canadian midlands Rockiess to Manitoba).

Most of Winnipeg's winter moisture comes from us here British Columbia (the Pacific Ocean), and we take most of that ourselves. Alberta Clippers can be strong storms but often don't have the moisture support that Colorado Lows do, and are thus drier storms,by comparison.

Unfortunately, the wind currents do not prevent the arctic cold from penetrating into Manitoba, in fact, the region provides a major highway connecting the Arctic and eastern North America. It is this cold air that wrings the moisture out over the Great Lakes and eastern areas as snow.

-- posted by weather_doctor