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Squall

Weather
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Squall: A sudden, sharp, and often violent increase in wind speed, often accompanied by rain, snow, or thunderstorms, characterized by its rapid onset and potential for brief but intense disruption.

Detailed Definition
A squall is a brief but forceful burst of wind that may arrive with dark clouds, rain, snow, or a sudden drop in temperature. It can transform a calm sea, field, or city street in moments. Poets often use squalls to dramatize emotional upheaval, argument, fear, or an abrupt shift in fortune. Because it passes quickly, the squall can also suggest a crisis that leaves the world altered but temporarily still.
Example
Example in poetry:
A sudden squall snapped the sails and scattered gulls from the pier; The short, violent force of a squall can sharpen the pace of a sea poem; Her anger came as a squall, loud over the water and quickly gone; A poet may place a squall after calm weather to create an abrupt emotional turn
Additional Notes
A squall is a brief but forceful burst of wind, often with rain. Its suddenness makes it effective in tense or dramatic passages.
Other Meanings of “Squall”
Also Known As
Wind Squall Rain Squall Sudden Gust
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