Discussion: My new favourite meteorological term

"snökanon" (which I assume translates literally as "snow cannon") - the Swedish term for their equivalent of what the North Americans would call lake-effect snow (where cold air picks up moisture in its low levels as it passes over water and then dumps it on the first bit of topography it hits).

http://www.smhi.se/kunskapsbanken/meteorologi/snok...

I understand that, in addition to the big dumps on the east coast of Sweden, there's been a bit of this on the west side of the Oslofjord?

yeah, that is correct! It is the same word that is used for this things used for artifical snowmaking

Don't know if there is a english words for those, or if they are called snow cannons or snow guns?

Mostly just the general snowmaking, but I think I've heard snow guns more. Unless it is really big.

I´ve definitely experienced the phenomenon (like the 1.5M of snow we got "more or less overnight" in 1998) but actually never heard the term being used before...

Cool term, haven't heard that one before! Yes, areas west of Oslo (such as Drammen) were hardest hit with upwards of 1m snow that weekend. Even Oslo has ok ski-conditions right now. Lots of fun data on Senorge.

This is what brought the snow:

@blairtrewin are you going to Seattle in January? If so maybe I I'll see you there.

No, won't be there, although some of my colleagues will.