What fuels the snow that blankets the Great Lakes? According to Hobart and William Smith Colleges, students are digging through two decades of data to find out. Led by Professor Neil Laird, the team is uncovering the surprising paths cold air takes—sometimes from as far as Greenland or the North Pacific—before triggering lake effect snow.
Students Cameron Crowell and Bek Lopez are mapping these patterns, noting how temperatures shift as air masses travel. Their findings challenge assumptions about regional air temperatures and are being prepared for public presentation.
Meanwhile, Ainsley Innus is studying blowing snow patterns across North America, combining physics and geoscience. These summer research projects, backed by mentorship and conference opportunities, give students hands-on experience typically reserved for graduate-level work.
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