- published: 04 May 2010
- views: 370065
A squall is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed that is usually associated with active weather, such as rain showers, thunderstorms, or heavy snow. Squalls refer to an increase in the sustained winds over a short time interval, as there may be higher gusts during a squall event. They usually occur in a region of strong mid-level height falls, or mid-level tropospheric cooling, which force strong localized upward motions at the leading edge of the region of cooling, which then enhances local downward motions just in its wake.
There are different versions of the word's origins:
The term "squall" is used to refer to a sudden wind-speed increase, both historically and in the present day. In 1962 the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) defined that to be classified as a squall, the wind must increase at least 8 m/s and must attain a top speed of at least 11 m/s, lasting at least one minute in duration. In Australia, a squall is defined to last for several minutes before the wind returns to the long term mean value. In either case, a squall is defined to last about half as long as the definition of sustained wind in its respective country. Usually, this sudden violent wind is associated with briefly heavy precipitation.
Deep in the eye of the albatross
In this kingdom of the lost
No hand to hold, this current leads me forth
So alone but so close to the shore
And in the wake of yesterday
My sanity shredded by the rays
Of the sun I'll never see again
While the mouth of eternity opens
swallowing, swallowing, swallowing
The surface soon becomes the sky
Try and break free towards the light
til I think 'Why bother try?'
Find me a reason to not sink in these waves