squall

a sudden strong wind or brief turbulent storm

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

squall

[skwȯl]

(meteorology)

A strong wind with sudden onset and more gradual decline, lasting for several minutes; in the United States observational practice, a squall is reported only if a wind speed of 16 knots (8.23 meters per second) or higher is sustained for at least 2 minutes.

squall

A sudden and rapid increase in wind speed by at least two units on Beaufort's scale, which lasts for at least one minute. It is normally associated with cumulonimbus clouds. A squall is indicated by the symbol

on weather charts.

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Squall

a sudden, brief increase in wind force that is accompanied by changes in wind direction. Wind velocity in a squall often exceeds 20–30 m/sec. A squall lasts several minutes, sometimes with a succession of gusts. Squalls may occur with the approach of storm clouds or clouds preceding atmospheric cold fronts and are often attended by showers, hail, or thunderstorms. Violent squalls can cause great destruction.

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References in periodicals archive

There will be sunshine, squally showers and strong winds on Sunday.

Weather warning for wild weekend

At times they had to battle through squally winds, wintry showers, snow and even lightning strikes to help the eight off the Snowdonia peaks, including one woman who suffered a broken ankle.

Snow causes havoc in 13-hour rescues; Eight climbers rescued as winter takes a hold

Ray Steadman, head launcher at Holyhead Lifeboat station, said weather conditions had begun to deteriorate during the afternoon, with thunderstorms overhead, squally seas and reduced visibility.

Rescue teams look for man missing at sea

Toward the end of March, wet, squally conditions will predominate throughout the country, with the threat of late-season blizzards in the Rockies and Plains states, and possible snow in New England.

Spring weather forecast

Apart from some squally top notes, soprano Carmen Giannattasio is a respectable, dark-hued Pa-risina, but her performance remains largely devoid of pathos.

PARISINA

I arrived from Nottingham on platform one (open on the side and above) during a squally wet day.

Don't look up, look down

As the baddie, chavvy Electra, Donna Bateman was disappointingly squally.

Focusing on all the positives; King Idomeneo The Sherborne Building, Icknield Square, Ladywood ***

Among the best are drum and bass lullaby Replica, which recalls Radiohead's Everything In Its Right Place, and the squally Walls (with Cat Power, no less, on backing vocals).

Music: BECK Modern Guilt (XL)