Lake Effect Storm Hubble
Visible satellite image 12:30PM on Saturday, Jan. 11th

 

 

This visible satellite image taken from 23,000 miles in space shows a lot of cloud cover over the eastern Gtreat Lakes.  Notice the brighter streak over Lake Ontario.  That is the major snowband.  It's cloud tops are higher than the clouds around it and that is why it is a bit brighter.  Also, if you look closely, you can actually see a shadow to the north of the main cloud streak just north of Oswego. It's the taller convective cloud from the snowband casting a shadow on the stratocumulus shield beneath. The Lake Erie band is a bit more difficualt to pick out, the main band looks like it eminates off Long Point Ontario.