What Is the Difference Between Snow Flurries vs. Snow Showers?
Flurries, Showers, and Squalls
The terms snow flurries, snow showers, and snow squalls describe increasing levels of intensity and impact: Flurries are generally light and leave little or no accumulation, showers can produce measurable snow, and squalls combine heavy snowfall with strong winds and sharply reduced visibility.
Snow is precipitation made of ice crystals that form in clouds when water vapor freezes or changes directly into ice. The crystals join together to create snowflakes, which fall when they become heavy enough. Although the terms snow flurries, snow showers, and snow squalls all describe relatively brief periods of snow, they differ in intensity, accumulation, and potential danger.
The expression snow flurries refers to light, intermittent snowfall of short duration. Snow flurries generally produce no measurable accumulation, although they may leave a trace or light dusting. Visibility usually remains fairly good, and the snowflakes may appear to drift through the air rather than fall steadily.
Snow showers are brief periods of snow that may vary in intensity and often begin and end suddenly. They are typically more substantial than flurries and can produce measurable accumulation. Because snow showers often develop from localized, vertically growing clouds, one area may receive snow while a nearby area remains dry.
A snow squall is an intense, short-lived burst of moderate to heavy snow accompanied by strong, gusty winds. Snow squalls can cause visibility to fall rapidly and may create whiteout conditions. Temperatures can also drop quickly, allowing wet roads to freeze within minutes. Although a snow squall may not last long, it can produce significant accumulation and extremely hazardous travel conditions.
