What exactly is a snow squall?

AccuWeather's Bree Guy explains what snow squalls are and how they can lead to the rare phenomenon of thundersnow.

Transcript

00:00What's up with this squally weather?

00:03Think of snow squalls as being the winter equivalent to summertime squall lines when

00:09you get a cluster of thunderstorms that form into a line often producing torrential rainfall

00:15and gusty winds.

00:16Triggered by a rapidly cooling upper atmosphere, the most intense snow squalls can produce

00:21strong wind gusts, thunder, and even lightning.

00:25They are infamous for dealing out fast-falling snow that drastically reduces visibility

00:30in a short amount of time.

00:32They don't last long, usually less than an hour, but drivers can quickly find themselves

00:37on clear, dry roads one minute, and then the next, grappling with a whiteout in slick conditions.

00:44They do occur along frontal boundaries where you can trigger lift between two air masses,

00:49and they can also be spurred on from a lake effect where a similar mechanism of lift occurs

00:55It's also aided here geographically along the shorelines after we get that little boost

01:01from the relatively warmer waters.

01:04Snow squalls, on occasion, can produce thundersnow.

01:08Instead of rain, the thunderstorm produces snow.

01:11It's caused by the same mechanisms as a typical thunderstorm, but is much more rare due to

01:17how hard it is to get convection, which is the upward vertical movement of air.

01:23And because cold air is dense, it doesn't like to rise.

01:26But when all of the ingredients do come together, it's quite the sight and sound.

01:31If you find yourself stuck in a snow squall, remember these safety tips.

01:34Avoid all travel if possible, reduce speed, do not slam on the brakes, turn on your headlights,

01:40allow some extra time, and monitor your local forecast.

01:43You can do so here on the AccuWeather Network, AccuWeather.com, the AccuWeather app, and

01:48all of our social media channels.