Turbulence over "The Lakes"

[cammie31]

So, my last two white-knuckle flights have been between New York and Chicago. Both times,as we were flying over Lake Erie, I guess it was, and then Lake Michigan, on the outbound flights, the Capt. turned on the seatbelt sign. On the second flight, the Captain, bless him, announced that it was nothing to worry about, that you usually experience some turbulence (chop?) over the Lakes.

Probably a really elementary question, but why is that?

Thanks, all...

[Passenger Mark]

You know... this may be the perfect "first question" to place over on the new board section... "Ask Captain Ray"!

But I will tell you what I know.

The air is usually cooler over water. I know when I when I fly here in the Cessna, when I go from land to ocean there is some changes, and when I fly from ocean to land.

The air is usually warmer over land. So that transition can cause some minor turublence.

It may be me... but it usually seems calmer over water. BUt that may be me.

[canoga]

I live 4 blocks off of Lake Erie. I can tell you that the Great Lakes are an entity all their own.

Examples: I stay 10 degrees cooler than most of Cleveland in the spring because Erie is still cold from the winter. In the fall, I stay 10 degrees warmer because it is still warm from the summer. In a matter of 20 yards, you can go from clear sunny skies to a blinding snowstorm. On my drive to work, I can go from 60 and sunny to 40 and foggy back to 60 and sunny again within 1 mile. The east side of Cleveland can get 24 inches of snow while I (west side) get a dusting.

Mark is right, the turbulence is caused by the temp changes between the water and the land. Erie is the most shallow of all of the Great Lakes so it has the greatest temp fluctuations. Most of the landing approaches to CLE go out over Erie and then land in a southwest direction. It is ALWAYS bumpy. I hate turbulence but because we are landing, I'm usually too giddy to care.

Beth

[cammie31]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate your responses/info, and to christen the Capt. Ray board, I'll move the question over there too!