Another Utah snowstorm has us asking, what is a snow squall?
Mar 24, 2023, 11:00 AM | Updated: 1:21 pm
People cross 300 South at Main Street during a snowstorm in Salt Lake City, on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023. KSL meteorologist Kevin Eubank says rain and snow will last for a couple more weeks then things will begin to warm up. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)
The latest on Utah weather and traffic:
SALT LAKE CITY — Some Utahns faced a snow squall with white-out conditions during their morning commutes as a snowstorm made its way through the state.
The National Weather Service Salt Lake issued a warning about the conditions Friday morning.
A snow squall warning is in effect until 8:00 AM MDT for I-15, I-215 near Ogden–Layton, UT and I-15, I-215, I-80, US-89 near Salt Lake City–West Valley City, UT. pic.twitter.com/G5HtGaiSww
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) March 24, 2023
The snow squall only lasted about 20 minutes. But, the NWS said we’re not out of the woods yet.
What’s a snow squall?
“It’s typically associated with a strong cold front like the one we had today,” NWS Meteorologist Hayden Mahan told KSL.
“It moves in, and it moves out relatively quickly.”
Mahan said that a snow squall can create sudden white-out conditions and can ice up the roads in a matter of minutes.
Blizzards vs. snow squalls
The NWS says blizzards are typically associated with longer-lasting storms.
Blizzards can last for hours, the NWS told KSL NewsRadio. They can still occur even without snow falling, as long as the wind is strong enough to pick up the snow on the ground.
