Did A Recent Illinois Weather Warning Frighten Or Confuse You?

Recently, a winter weather warning alert seemed to frighten and confuse the residents of Illinois.

Technology Is Great To Keep Track Of Weather

Have you ever thought about how much weather affects our lives? For many people, it is one of the first things they check after waking up in the morning and before going to bed at night. Also, several times during the day. What is happening outside will have a huge impact on your plans.

Back in the day, there was not much warning when it came to bad conditions, especially if it developed quickly. Luckily, with the latest and greatest technology, a severe weather alert can reach thousands of people in a matter of seconds with a simple message on their cellphones.

Confusing And Scary Winter Weather Warning Alert

On Friday night, my wife and I were eating some dinner and watching a movie when all of a sudden I received a winter weather warning alert on my phone. A few seconds later, she received a similar one on her phone. Here are those messages.

As we both read them, a giggle came out of our mouths followed by the same question. Is this real? Honestly, a "Snow Squall?" That sounded made up but it looked official.

I got up and looked out the window. It was snowing pretty hard and very windy. Our next thought was should we be concerned? It was kind of strange.

I jumped on social media and I saw "Snow Squall" everywhere. I have never even heard of it and now it's a thing. So, what is the deal?

What Is A "Snow Squall?"

According to weather.gov, 

"Snow squalls are one of the most dangerous winter weather phenomena."

 

"Sudden whiteout conditions, gusty winds, and falling temperatures produce icy roads in just a few minutes."

 

"There is no safe place on a highway during a snow squall"

 

It is weird how I never heard of it before but now I know and knowing is half the battle. I was very happy we had no plans for the night. Be careful if you ever see a "Snow Squall" warning in the future.

If you were confused and concerned on Friday night after the "Snow Squall" winter weather warning alert, do not worry because you were not alone. Many people felt the same way.