Within the meteorological phenomena and types of winds there are we have the squallThis type of wind is characterized by being quite sudden and reaching very high speeds. This type of wind lasts very briefly and occurs in geographical areas with a tendency toward cold temperatures.
In this article, we'll tell you all about the characteristics, origin, and various facts about the squall. We'll also cover the differences with other phenomena relevant meteorological events such as tornadoes.
Key features
First of all, see what the squall means. In the field of meteorology, it means that it is a type of wind that appears suddenly, quickly and very strongly. Its classification varies depending on the wind speed. That is, for a wind to be classified as a squall it must have winds of approximately 40 kilometers per hour.
However, depending on the country, a squall is known by different names. In Mexico, it's often called a cyclone; in Venezuela, a vapor; in Argentina, a storm; in Brazil, a turbid; in Peru, a storm; and in Colombia, a gust. Generally speaking, this wind is defined as a type of wind that lasts for a specific period, roughly half the duration of a strong wind over a given distance.
This squall can also develop in fluids such as water and it is here where they manifest themselves as a function of the smooth movement of the water where the weight and speed are constant. This type of wind can be seen in swells and very fast water currents. In other cases, upward eddies can form, such as smoke currents. These currents are born from the chimneys or are also found in the mists during storms, among others.
Squall and snow lines
When we talk about a squall of snow we are talking about a very cold air current that has high speeds and a very short time. When having an environment with low temperatures, the content of the wind is composed of small particles of frozen oxygen. These currents are very turbid, which prevents partial and total visibility depending on the intensity of it.
They are different from wind squalls, since they have a duration that it is in the order of about 15-20 minutes. Typically, these types of meteorological phenomena cause serious problems in the areas where they occur, especially in areas with temperatures below freezing. They are accompanied by precipitation in the form of snowflakes that are very light and travel at high speeds. They can quickly fill areas with snow. You can easily see them covering the roofs of houses, roads, avenues, and vehicles. They are truly dangerous if they catch you by surprise.
Squall lines consist of several thunderstorms that intertwine with each other. They can develop in parallel and combine two cold and warm fronts. For this type of meteorological phenomenon to occur, a clash of fronts of different temperatures is needed. A squall line can form after a thunderstorm has split into several parts.
There are several types of squall lines. These are cloudy layers filled with vapor and wind that grow rapidly and then fall. This air movement is so rapid that it prevents water from condensing and causing rain.
The other type of squall that exists is a kind of dark cloud loaded with large amounts of water vapor. This water vapor remains stable in the upper atmosphere for a very short time. During this time, the winds spread to the higher altitudes, providing very little protection, just like the previous ones. This happens so quickly that it doesn't allow water condensation.
Most of all these winds occur in the United States and it allows to establish that most of the fast and quite strong thunderstorms are created through squall lines. They usually pass quickly through the area where they originated, becoming loaded with moisture.
Differences between squalls and tornadoes
It's easy to confuse these types of weather phenomena, since they have a similar origin. They are similar weather phenomena, since the appearance of the presence is also very similar. Both have a major difference: their formation. Their movement also presents some differences. Tornadoes are based on strong air pressures that rise at high speed, and as soon as they encounter an alignment begin to rotate very quickly. This produces a rise in the winds that carries with it all the dust and sand particles on the ground. The force is so enormous that it can lift large vehicles or animals if they collide with the rising air stream.
When a tornado occurs at sea, it forms in the same way, but in water it can project its energy and reach heights of up to kilometers. Since ancient times, rains of fish were referred to as something related to the gods. Today, we know that rains of fish are related to the existence of marine tornadoes.
As we know, what a squall is, we can say that depending on the energy it releases, it is very similar to a tornado. However, the time does not exceed 30 minutes and can cause great damage and cause chaos in very short periods of time. Once this time has passed, a period begins in which the squall begins to weaken and the amount of precipitation decreases. They present wind gusts that last no more than 15-30 seconds and can reach maximum speeds of up to 200 km/h. If a person encounters one of these, they may suffer serious injuries.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the squall and its characteristics.