 The immense volume of water in the five Great Lakes holds heat that allows the lakes to remain relatively warm for much later into the year and postpones the Arctic spread in the region . During the autumn months , two major weather tracks converge over the area . Cold , dry air moves south / southeast from the province of Alberta and northern Canada ; warm , moist air moves north / northeast from the Gulf of Mexico , along the lee of the central Rocky Mountains . The collision of these masses forms large storm systems in the middle of the North American continent , including the Great Lakes . When the cold air from these storms moves over the lakes , it is warmed by the waters below and picks up a spin . As the cyclonic system continues over the lakes , its power is intensified by the jet stream above and the warm waters below . 
