A lake effect snow advisory was issued by the National Weather Service of the United States when lake effect snow may pose a hazard or is life-threatening.
The snow must be completely caused by a convective snow development over a lake and not by a low pressure system.
[1] Prior to the 2008–09 winter storm season, there was the lake-effect snow and blowing snow advisory, specific for when blowing snow another hazard expected in the advised area.
[2] The Lake-Effect Snow Advisory for Lake-Effect Snow and Blowing Snow has since replaced it.
On October 2, 2017, issuance of the lake effect snow advisory has been discontinued altogether, and a winter weather advisory will now be issued when the above criteria are expected to be met.