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What Makes a Winter Storm?

COLD AIR: Below freezing temperatures in the clouds and near the ground are necessary to make snow and/or ice.

MOISTURE: To form clouds and precipitation. Air blowing across a body of water, such as a large lake or the ocean, is an excellent source of moisture.

LIFT: Something to raise the moist air to form the clouds and cause precipitation. An example of lift is warm air colliding with cold air and being forced to rise over the cold dome. The boundary between the warm and cold air masses is called a front. Another example of lift is air flowing up a mountain side.

Source: NOAA