Glossary · Weather & oceans
Squall
Also called: Grain, grains, orage, cumulonimbus
A sudden, short burst of wind under a cloud, often with rain.
A squall arrives with a big dark cloud: the wind picks up sharply and shifts, then drops once the cloud has passed. Single-handed, sail must be reduced in time; squalls at night, unseen, are especially feared.
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No source yet · updated 30 Sept 2026