NWS Issues First Ever 'Snow Squall Weather Alert' To Phones, Warning Drivers Of Icy Conditions
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Some people are still recovering from icy road conditions on Wednesday, and the National Weather Service tells KDKA a snow squall is what caused the blinding white-out conditions.
"A snow squall is an isolated snow band that carries with it the threat of quickly accumulating snow on roadways and reduced visibility, most often less than a quarter mile," said NWS Meteorologist Jenna Lake.
As that band quickly stretched across the radar, the NWS issued a Snow Squall Weather Alert.
"We had our eye on it all day and when we started to see the bands come together, we knew this was something we needed to take action on," Lake said.
That alert was only the third of its kind out of the Pittsburgh office and the first time it went across cell phones in the impacted area.
It shows up just like an Amber Alert or Flash Flood Warning, and it's meant to be an extra level of protection to alert and warn people in the area that conditions are changing and to prepare.
Since this is a new system, you may have to set it up on your cell phone. The Emergency Alert button can be found at the bottom of the "Notifications" tab under settings.
If you get the alert while on the road, Lake tells KDKA it's best to be aware and slow down.