the.com/squall line
A gang of thunderstorms marching in formation, ruining one long line of barbecues at once.
means A narrow band of strong, often severe thunderstorms arranged in a line, usually along or ahead of a cold front, bringing sudden gusty winds, heavy rain, and rapid weather change.
from 'Squall' entered English in the 1600s as a sailor's word for a sudden violent gust or windstorm at sea, likely related to Scandinavian or Low German words for a sudden noise or cry — the sense being something that hits with a shout. 'Line' simply describes the formation meteorologists later observed: these storms don't scatter, they align, marching across the radar in a single advancing front.
- shape
- Storms arranged in a continuous arc or row
- danger
- Often produces worse straight-line winds than tornadoes
- leading edge
- Gust front can hit before any rain falls
- formation
- Forms along or ahead of a cold front