white squall

[ hwahyt skwawl, wahyt ]

noun

, Meteorology, Nautical.

1. a maritime squall whose approach is indicated by whitecaps and turbulent water rather than by the clouds that usually accompany a squall:

   The sudden fogs, white squalls, and terrible ice storms made navigating Lake Superior treacherous.

white squall

noun

1. a violent highly localized weather disturbance at sea, in which the surface of the water is whipped to a white spray by the winds

Word History and Origins

Origin of white squall¹

First recorded in 1770–75

Example Sentences

It was just a clean reach from the Noman to Cowes, and some of the puffs came off the Island with the rush of a white squall.

From Project Gutenberg

Wrath of celestial goddesses darkened the face of Mrs. Croydon as a white squall blackens the face of the sky.

From Project Gutenberg

It was about six in the morning when the blow came on with a white squall, and, as usual, from the northward.

From Project Gutenberg

Deeper and deeper the blackness came rushing down upon us, an angry ridge of foam before it—the white squall showing its teeth.

From Project Gutenberg

Just after that a sort of a white squall struck the ship, and the old man give just the wrong orders.

From Project Gutenberg