THE United States has been warned of possible snow squalls across the country for the first time in two years.
You might not have heard the term snow squall before as they are a relatively new weather term but they can be very dangerous.
What is a snow squall?
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a snow squall is a short but very aggressive period of heavy snow.
It starts with towering clouds developing, which are followed by moisture released in the form of snow.
Snow squalls tend to be accompanied by strong winds and usually last no longer than an hour.
These wintertime showers form when the air near the ground is much warmer than the air above.
The extreme conditions also usually occur during the day and you can see snow build on the ground really quickly.
It was only in 2018 that the term became official and warnings were attached but a snow squall can also be referred to as a whiteout.
In December 2019, a snow squall ravaged through Manhattan and Central Park, which picked up 0.4 inches of snow in just 40 minutes.
Why are snow squalls so dangerous?
During a snow squall you can almost certainly expect it be much harder to see, conditions are similar to blizzards but while a blizzard lasts a minimum of three hours, snow squalls are over much quicker.
The NWS stated: “The combination of quick results in visibilities and sudden slick conditions on roadways can often lead to high speed wrecks, pile ups, and subsequently injuries and fatalities.”
Snow squalls are also really difficult to prepare for because of this sudden build up.
The NWS advised that if people are unable to delay or cancel travel plans, commuters should use a different route.
As for motorists, drivers should take extra care, travel at slow speeds, but preferably avoid driving at all due to the dangerous conditions.
Visibility is reduced to less than 500 m, and wind speeds are over 40 km/h (25mph) with a wind shift.
Criteria for snow squall warning include sub-freezing temperatures on the ground and also can also cause dangerous and life-threatening conditions.
How common are snow squalls?
Similar to a tornado or thunderstorm warning, a snow squall warning is issued to alert residents that a snow squall is possible in their area.
Like the actual snow squalls themselves, the warnings typically last less than one hour.
However, NBC News meteorologist Kathryn Prociv said they are “the winter equivalent of severe thunderstorms and are pretty common this time of year.”
Snow squalls usually occur anytime from mid-October to late-April but there has not been a snow squall warning in the USA since 2020 so they are not common.
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