Snow squall: What is the weather phenomenon that just hit New York City?

Snow squalls generally last less than three hours

People living in New York City were surprised Wednesday when they received a buzzing phone notification alerting them to an impending “snow squall” - a term many residents were not familiar with.

The warning, issued by the National Weather Service to residents in the tri-state area, read: “Severe weather alert. Snow squall warning in effect."

In the ensuing confusion, thousands of people took to social media to ask what exactly a snow squall is.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a snow squall is an “intense short-lived burst of heavy snowfall that leads to a quick reduction in visibilities and is often accompanied by gusty winds.”

Squalls can be dangerous because they can cause sudden white-out conditions as well as slick roadways, which can make driving or travelling during the weather phenomenon treacherous.

The warnings for snow squalls are similar to those issued for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes, according to the weather service.

In a warning shared to Twitter Wednesday, the New York City mayor’s office said that the squall would “arrive quickly and powerfully”.

“It will arrive quickly and powerfully, but it will not last very long. Be careful if you’re outside, visibility on the roads can decrease quickly,” the warning said.

While the Weather Channel initially tweeted that this was the first-ever squall warning for the New York City area, it later issued a correction, stating that this is the first squall warning this winter season.

“The first-ever snow squall warning for the Big Apple was issued 30 January 2019,” the weather network said.