CLEVELAND — Northeast Ohio's "cloud season" stretches from mid-November through late May, and Cleveland ranks among the top 10 cloudiest U.S. cities and top 5 in the Great Lakes region.

January is the peak of gloominess. In fact, skies are overcast or mostly cloudy nearly 70% of the time that month.

Lake Erie creates huge amounts of cloud cover even when it is not snowing or raining. In the late fall and early winter, the lake is still relatively warm while cold air blows across it. This temperature difference causes moisture to rise, clouds to build, and skies to turn gray.

Cleveland sits in a common path for Midwest and Great Lakes low-pressure systems. These systems bring lots of cloud cover, and during winter, they can line up in succession. In addition to an active storm track

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