Narnian_Storm, the Weather Channel has sent people to upstate New York to study and report on that lake-effect snow. We get snow here, but 5 feet at once is really remarkable!

I believe you may be referring the OWLeS project. A lot of my friends on Facebook were posting links to a video from The Weather Channel yesterday about this massive, historic research project. This project is spearheaded by and has a home base of my Alma-mater, the State University of New York at Oswego. Situated directly on the east shore of Lake Ontario, I honestly do not think there is a better place to study the weather. This research project includes driving hi-res mobile radars into lake snow bands (which has been done before) and even flying aircraft into bands (which I don't think has been done, at least not on Lake Ontario). Five feet at once is incredible, but back in 2007, a year before I went to Oswego (I missed all the good stuff!), they got over 70" in a few days...and a town just north got 12 FEET.

I have heard that there is a temperature where it is too cold to snow. Does anyone know if that is true?

Please correct me if I'm wrong, Narnian_Storm, but my understanding is that this is false. However, the colder it gets, the less moisture the air can hold (the dew point goes down), reducing the likelihood of precipitation. That's probably where that saying comes from.

Your understanding of moisture is correct. There is another layer to the question as well though. Snowflakes come in many different shapes and sizes...there are the stereotypical flakes (dendrites), but there are also platelets, needs, hexagons, etc. The shape and size are determined by the temperature and humidity. The ideal temperature for big, fluffy dendrites is around -10ºC. As it gets colder and colder, the flakes become smaller and more like needles. My gut feeling is that there is a certain point where the air is so cold and dry that it doesn't really 'snow' in the traditional sense...but I would have to look it up.

Glad you're enjoying some weather you like, wagga. Around +25, eh? Our temperature this morning was -25C/-13F.

Thank you, the weather has indeed been nice for summer the last couple of days. It was even quite a nice summer's day at the South Pole yesterday. The temperature was a lovely but typical -24C maximum. Slightly warmer than the US state of Georgia, our daily fishwrap noted. Though they could have meant Georgia, the country... The two ships that were caught in ice, in Commonwealth Bay, finally broke free and all is well Down under.

I also hear on the news that in the next couple of days the weather will be a bit nicer for you lot, up there in the attic. Enjoy!

Yuck! Low forties starting next week.

Checking the weather channel, and it looks like one more night of bone chilling cold. -14 with a wind. Bundle up folks.
The upside is the warm-up that's supposed to gradually work into the upper 30's by Sunday. With all the possible snow-melt I might have to get the canoe down. Just better remember the paddles.
One side benefit, as stargazer pointed out is all the dry air makes for good viewing at night. Hope to finally get the telescope out.

Yuck! Low forties starting next week.

Indeed don't remind me it is going to be just as bad here. When my family are taking of to Tasmania(which has much lower summer temps/when they say it is hot, it is not) and I am left here.

Yuck! Low forties starting next week.

Yikes! Low 40's? Can I migrate to the South Pole or Canada & -25C quick smart? No? Gotta stay put? Oh dear!

Sorry, wagga, at least in much of the northern US and southern Canada, the brisk -25C temps have passed for the moment. It's up to a blistering 10F/-12C here at noon today. Only in the Northland is such a thing called a January thaw.

Lows 40s? Yikes! I've experienced that kind of heat only a few times. Once was while driving in Vancouver, BC (usually a much cooler Pacific Northwest kind of place). Stay cool!

Thanks for that additional info on the 'too cold to snow' question, Narnian_Storm.

Slightly warmer than the US state of Georgia, our daily fishwrap noted. Though they could have meant Georgia, the country...

I suspect they meant Georgia the country. The Weather Channel is based in Atlanta so they talked about Georgia (the state) temps a lot. While the US state of Georgia was quite cold by their standards, I don't think temps went below 0F/-17C there (though wind chills might have approached that mark).

In a side note, Northern (and Southern) Lights are likely tonight, possibly being seen as far south as Colorado. Check it out if your sky is clear.

Lows 40s? Yikes! I've experienced that kind of heat only a few times. Once was while driving in Vancouver, BC (usually a much cooler Pacific Northwest kind of place). Stay cool!

And when you all came to stay in Kansas a couple summers ago. I think you missed the extremes at about 45C/115F, but I think I remember hitting
107F/41C while you were here.

It's cold, but not nearly as cold today. But this weekend it's supposed to be quite nice (relatively speaking). I believe Saturday is supposed to hit 55F/13C

If you have a free-standing freezer (as opposed to the one paired with your refrigerator), that runs at about -17 to -25C. The *high* temperature here yesterday wasn't that warm. But that freezer will give you a taste of what it's like here.

Yep, it was that cold!

Glad you are both getting some relief from that heavy heat, IloveFauns and wagga, yay! And good to hear those ships were able to break free of the ice, wagga.

'Twas interesting reading about the OWLeS project, Narnian_Storm, as well as the question of whether there is a temperature too cold to snow. Thanks, 'gazer and Storm!

One side benefit, as stargazer pointed out is all the dry air makes for good viewing at night. Hope to finally get the telescope out.

Indeed! On a bitterly cold night earlier this week, the sky was especially close and stunning. Mind you, I could hardly stay outside for more than a few minutes it was so frigid. Or if I dressed up as I should, I could hardly move.

Only in the Northland is such a thing called a January thaw.

Which we will be experiencing briefly tomorrow, as the temperature rises to 7C/44.6F and rains much of the day, with strong winds. Then we drop again on Sunday to near freezing, when all the rain will become ice again. After that, we need a good dump of snow to freshen everything up. There is no forecast of any storm yet, though, in the near future, but each day brings flurries from Sunday on.

And when you all came to stay in Kansas a couple summers ago. I think you missed the extremes at about 45C/115F, but I think I remember hitting
107F/41C while you were here.

Yes, it was ... hot! But a dry heat, quite different from our humid summer heat here. Still, 107 was hot enough.

I do recall that Kansas visit, fantasia. It was a wonderful time! But the heat that day we were at the zoo - whoa!

We're currently approaching the freezing mark. Quite a change from a few days ago (a 52F/29C temperature swing). All that snow trying to melt means overcast and fog, however. We may actually roast the next few days with temps around 38F/3C.

Bush fires in perth today http://www.perthnow.com.au/

Perth is a very spread out city and the most isolated city. I am relieved the bushfires are not in the area where my brother and sister live.

@IlF, What is happening in Perth is horrible. It must have been that heatwave that we were warned about last week. It is due to arrive next Wednesday.

Glad you are both getting some relief from that heavy heat, IloveFauns and wagga, yay!

I'm afraid we all spoke too soon. Perth has already lost several homes and at least one person has died due to bushfires. Adelaide must be roasting as we speak and Sydney, and the bits on the way to Sydney will "cop it" day after tomorrow.

I hope you are enjoying much more normal conditions for your area, than the strong polar conditions of last week.

It is very windy down in the southwest. I am hoping it isn't this windy up in perth now because it will spread the fire faster. My parents are currently heading to perth airport. Dad says he is sure it hasn't reach any area where he has to drive.

seems like the weather has finally remember exactly what season it is We had a rainpour on the 10th and the temperature for the past week had be 5C. Any snow we had melted and honestly, the weather was more like April than January. Today it's gone down to -2C, the wind has picked up and it's snowing outside. They are promising it getting down to -10C within the next two days. Good thing too, De will never forgive the weather if there will be no snow on her birthday

5C sounds like a decent winter temp to me(yes to me). Anyway It is nice here today, my mother just called me saying it is 33c in Tasmania and 33c in Tasmania is like 40C in WA and she said she was going to cooler weather.