"A snow squall is similar to a summertime thunderstorm in that it can have heavy bouts of precipitation in a short period of time and strong, gusty winds," he said, "except instead of getting rain, you're getting snow. And when you get heavy snow and wind, you could reduce visibility and make roads a sheet of ice in minutes."

Living in this area, you have definitely experienced a sudden burst of heavy snow with gusty winds that reduces visibility. Well, that is what a snow squall is. Recently, the National Weather Service has placed an emphasis on forecasting these due to the disruptions in travel that they can cause.