Question:What is a haze squall? I heard the term in reference to a storm over Lake Erie.
Answer: The haze squall appears to be a condition peculiar to the Great Lakes region of North America. A haze squall is a line of thunderstorms or isolated thunderstorm that forms or moves over the Lake waters but appears to come up suddenly without warning out of the lake haze layer.
For example, the air over Lake Erie may be sunny with a southwesterly breeze blowing in early afternoon (noon to 2 pm). Visibility over the waters is limited to about a mile (1.6 km) due to a smoky haze. At this time, a thundercloud has formed by the meeting of colder, dry air flowing out of the north (likely pre-cold-front) and warmer moist air from the south. Because the sun is to the south, the shadow of the large vertical cumulonimbus is short and points toward the north. Thus, the storm cloud is hidden in the haze almost until it strikes.
Source: Ellis, William Donohue, 1974: Land of the Inland Seas. American West Publishing Company, ISBN 0-910118-47-7
Learn More From These Books Chosen by The Weather Doctor
Williams, Jack: The Weather Book, 1997, Vintage Books, ISBN 0-679-77665-6.
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