Editing Lake Ontario (section)

==Climate==
[[File:2Lake Ontario.JPG|thumb|[[Hamilton Harbour]] frozen over. Ice sheets can form along the shoreline of Lake Ontario during the winter.]]
The lake has a natural [[seiche]] rhythm of eleven minutes. The seiche effect normally is only about {{convert|3/4|in|cm}} but can be greatly amplified by earth movement, winds, and atmospheric pressure changes. Because of its great depth, the lake as a whole does not completely freeze in winter, but an ice sheet covering between 10% and 90% of the lake area typically develops, depending on the severity of the winter. Ice sheets typically form along the shoreline and in slack water bays, where the lake is not as deep. During the winters of 1877 and 1878, the ice sheet coverage was up to 95–100% of the lake. [[Engagements on Lake Ontario#Operations in 1812|During the War of 1812]], the ice cover was stable enough the American naval commander stationed at Sackets Harbor feared a British attack from Kingston, over the ice. The lake has completely frozen over on five recorded occasions: in 1830,<ref>''Kingston Chronicle,'' January 30, 1830, 2, col. 6 ("For several years past we have not been visited with so much snow as has fallen here within the last fortnight. The storm of Wednesday and yesterday could only be equalled by such visitations as are familiar to our Lower Canada friends. The thermometer has ranged from 10° below, to 20° above 0, for the last ten days. The Lake is firmly frozen, and a cheap and safe style of travelling has revived the intercourse with our brethren of the ''independent'' portion of the world"); ''[[The Republican Compiler]]'' [newspaper], February 23, 1830, p. 2, col. 5 ("At Kingston, Upper Canada, the quantity of snow which had fallen had not been equaled for several years.—The Lake (Ontario) was frozen, and crossing had become general"); Perry, Kenneth A, ''The Fitch Gazetteer: An Annotated Index to the Manuscript History of Washington County, New York,'' 4 vols. (Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1999), 4:565 ("Kingston, Upper Canada, [experiencing] the deepset {{sic}} snow in several yrs., & Lake Ontario frozen over"); ''Kingston Chronicle'' [newspaper], January 9, 1830, 2, col. 1 ("the Bay was frozen across this morning"); ''see also Vermont Chronicle'', (Bellows Falls, Vt.) Friday, February 19, 1830, p. 31, col D, quoting the ''Quebec Gazette'': "The Lake (Ontario) was frozen, and crossing had become general."</ref> 1874, 1893, 1912, and 1934.{{sfn|May|2008}}

When the cold winds of winter pass over the warmer water of the lake, they pick up moisture and drop it as [[lake-effect snow]]. Since the prevailing winter winds are from the northwest, the southern and southeastern shoreline of the lake is referred to as the [[snowbelt]]. In some winters, the area between Oswego and [[Pulaski, New York|Pulaski]] may receive twenty or more feet (600&nbsp;cm) of snowfall. Also impacted by lake-effect snow is the [[Tug Hill|Tug Hill Plateau]], an area of elevated land about {{convert|20|mi|km}} east of Lake Ontario. The "Hill", as it is often referred to, typically receives more snow than any other region in the [[eastern United States]]. As a result, Tug Hill is a popular location for winter enthusiasts, such as snow-mobilers and cross-country skiers. Lake-effect snow often extends inland as far as [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]], with that city often recording the most winter snowfall accumulation of any large city in the United States. Other cities in the world receive more snow annually, such as [[Quebec City]], which averages {{convert|135|in|cm}}, and [[Sapporo]], Japan, which receives {{convert|250|in|cm}} each year and is often regarded as the snowiest city in the world.

Foggy conditions (particularly in fall) can be created by thermal contrasts and can be an impediment for recreational boaters. Lake breezes in spring tend to slow fruit bloom until the frost danger is past, and in the autumn delay the onset of fall frost, particularly on the south shore. Cool onshore winds also slow the early bloom of plants and flowers until later in the spring season, protecting them from possible frost damage. Such [[microclimate|microclimatic]] effects have enabled tender fruit production in a continental climate, with the southwest shore supporting a major fruit-growing area. [[Apple]]s, [[cherry|cherries]], [[pear]]s, [[plum]]s, and [[peach]]es are grown in many commercial orchards around Rochester. Between [[Stoney Creek, Ontario|Stoney Creek]] and [[Niagara-on-the-Lake]] on the [[Niagara Peninsula]] is a major fruit-growing and wine-making area. The [[Niagara Escarpment AVA|wine-growing region]] extends over the international border into [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara]] and [[Orleans County, New York|Orleans]] counties in New York. Apple varieties that tolerate a more extreme climate are grown on the lake's north shore, around [[Cobourg]].