Squall Line

weather · storms · wind

A line of storms. A squall line is a row of thunderstorms that often forms along a cold front, which is where cold air suddenly pushes into warm air. These storms line up almost like soldiers in a row.

Dangerous straight winds. Squall lines bring fierce straight-line winds that can knock over trees and damage buildings. When the line bows out like an archer's bow, the winds become even stronger and more destructive.

Can spawn tornadoes. Sometimes tornadoes form along the wavy parts of a squall line when low-pressure areas develop. Waterspouts can also spin up, especially over water.

Heavy precipitation. These storms dump intense rainfall, hail, and lightning all at once. The combination of all this weather happening together makes squall lines very dangerous.

Speedy giant storms. Some squall lines grow so large and move so fast across land that meteorologists call them derechos, which means they can travel across multiple states in just a few hours.