MINNEAPOLIS — Editor's note: The video above first aired on KARE 11 in 2020.
While it's safe to say we're well-versed in dealing with winter weather, one rare seasonal occurrence has even the most diehard, lifelong Minnesotans wondering: What the heck is a snow squall?
If the name of the phenomenon caught you off guard, don't let the actual storm surprise you, too.
"A snow squall is a rare occurrence that can be issued for a brief, but heavy snow band usually behind a cold front during the wintertime," said KARE 11 Meteorologist John Zeigler.
"Small areas of energy swing behind a low-pressure center or can trail behind a strong cold front. This creates very small narrow bands of snow that can produce whiteout conditions that may only last for a few minutes but have been known to catch drivers off guard."
Zeigler added that although Wednesday's forecast includes a possible snow squall pop-up, it isn't expected to impact the wider Twin Cities metro.
"We may see a few of these today, but the expectation is that it will be very isolated and not impact that many communities around the region," he said."
According to the National Weather Service, snow squalls don't typically produce high snow accumulations, usually notching no more than an inch. However, coupled with strong winds and cold temperatures, NWS agrees these storms cause "extremely dangerous conditions for motorists."
Go to KARE11.com/weather to stay up-to-date on the latest forecast and conditions.