US New Year Weather Update: From Massachusetts To The DMV, Snow Squalls Trigger Warnings, May Affect Travel Plans

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A winter weather advisory for accumulating snow has been issued for some parts of Massachusetts, namely, Berkshire County and western Franklin and Hampshire Counties, which will last till 1 pm on Thursday, local time, as per a report by wwlp.

All of western Massachusetts is expected to witness a minor snow accumulation. Those travelling in this region have been advised to keep an eye out for slick spots, especially if they are driving in hill towns. There could also be snow squalls leading to heavy accumulation early in the morning, specifically before 7 am.

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Besides Massachusetts, a snow squall warning was issued earlier in the day for Pennsylvania's Sullivan County, covering communities like Dunmore, Hazleton, Bushkill, Nanticoke, Old Forge, Scranton, Kinston, as well as Pittston.

A snow squall was also witnessed across the DMV (Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia metropolitan area) in the early hours of Thursday, at around 4:30 am. As per per officials quoted by dcnewsnow, the snow squall was moving at a speed of 35 mph, also enabling strong winds.

Boston, Cambridge, Providence, Worcester, and much of New England were also under a snow squall warning until 8:30 am, as per NBC10 Boston.

What is a snow squall?

A snow squall, similar to a blizzard or a snowstorm, is a moderate-to-heavy snowfall which happens in a more localized area for a shorter period of time, mainly around 30-40 minutes. A snow squall can cover a road with an ice sheet within a few minutes despite there being no forecast of a big storm.

There are two types of snow squall - lake effect and frontal.

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A snow squall is very dangerous for travel, especially for aircraft and motorists, and can be more harmful than a blizzard, since conditions change suddenly.

Abrupt loss of visibility, which is caused due to a whiteout, as well as slippery conditions may lead to multiple-vehicle collisions. Lake-effect snow squall can lead to the accumulation of heavy amounts of snow, thus paralyzing roads and cities.

One of the most notable incidents of vehicle pile-up due to a snow squall occurred on 9 January, 2015, where I-94 highway near Michigan's Galesburg witnessed a 193-vehicle pile-up.

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