Q&A on the News
Q: Could lake effect snow ever happen on Lake Lanier or Lake Allatoona, like what happened in Buffalo?
—Barbara Mitchell, Villa Rica
A: There isn't enough surface area on either Lake Lanier or Lake Allatoona for a lake effect storm to occur, Glenn Burns, chief meteorologist for Channel 2 Action News, told Q&A on the News in an email.
Lake effect snow in the U.S. generally occurs around the Great Lakes – which affects central and western New York, northwestern Pennsylvania, northeastern Ohio, northeastern Illinois, northern Indiana and western Michigan – and the area around Utah’s Great Salt Lake. It happens when cold air masses move over warmer lake waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Some areas around Buffalo, N.Y., received up to 90 inches of snow from a lake effect storm last month.
Q: Which major university or college holds the record for consecutive sellouts at their football stadium? A friend says he is relatively certain that would be Notre Dame.
—John J. Walker, Doraville
A: Nebraska holds the NCAA record with 340 consecutive sellouts, an active streak that began in 1962. Nebraska's Memorial Stadium has a capacity of 87,000 and was sold out for all of the team's seven home games this season. Notre Dame's sellout streak is at 243 games for Notre Dame Stadium, which seats 80,795. The Irish have sold out every home game except one, dating to its final two games in 1964. Notre Dame has sold out 644 of 921 games since 1930.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
