Weather & Radar
Home / Editor's Pick /

What you need to know about snow squalls

09:24 PM
November 27, 2023

Winter's quick-hitters
What you need to know about snow squalls

Snow squall

Snow squalls – the quick and wintry traffic disruptor. We’re going over what snow squalls entail and how to practice safe navigation if you are caught in one.

Snow squalls are quick-hitters, and they can come with or without a winter storm event, making them seem unexpected if you are not used to their sudden arrival. Snow squalls only last anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes too, making them very different from a snowstorm which could last several hours to even days.

Snow squalls can drop moderate to heavy snowfall, quickly lowering visibility to white-out conditions and creating a dangerous travel environment.

Gusty surface winds and a moisture source create a snow squall, which can happen anywhere. The Great Lakes often see snow squalls before the lakes freeze. As cold winds pass over the lake, they pick up the moisture and drop it as snow.

Settings for external content

Privacy policy

This past weekend’s event across northeast Pennsylvania and western New York was considered a lake-effect snowstorm, but as the westerly gusty winds moved across the lakes, they brought snow as far south as the Mid-Atlantic with snow squalls moving through West Virginia.

A few snow squall warnings were issued on Saturday as a squall moved over northern West Virginia. Gusts as high as 35 mph and visibility as low as a quarter of a mile were likely. When you’re indoors, the snow squall can be a beautiful sight but driving in one is very dangerous.

When the National Weather Service issued the warning on Saturday, they encouraged drivers to find an exit or rest area to be away from other traffic and wait out the squall. This is to avoid dangerous accidents that can quickly turn into multi-car pileups, which are common during snow squall events.

You can be ready for snow events throughout the winter by staying up to date with your local forecast and heeding watches and warnings as they are issued. Awareness is key when it comes to winter driving.

Becca Parker
More on the topic
Saturday, May 3, 2025

May astronomy outlook

Meteor shower and the Flower Moon
Saturday, April 26, 2025

Off the coast of Sardinia

Waterspout seen from cruise ship
Sleeping cat
Sunday, April 20, 2025

Seasonal tiredness

What causes spring fatigue?
All weather news
This might also interest you
Sunday, May 18, 2025

London, Ky.

Violent tornado hits, over a dozen dead
Saturday, May 17, 2025

Incredible video

How do tornadoes form?
Thursday, May 15, 2025

Breakfast Brief

Great Lakes severe threat, Texas heat
All articles
Weather & Radar

www.weatherandradar.com

instagramfacebookthreadsContact uslinkList
Privacy policy | Legal info