National Weather Service now issuing snow squall warnings

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — It's something new: The National Weather service is issuing snow squall warnings. 

Despite that, lots of people were caught off guard Wednesday when a squall blew in to the region. 

The wind was cold and strong, the snow blinding. It came fast, catching many drivers and pedestrians off guard.

Snow squall has moved into center city. @KYWNewsradio pic.twitter.com/AVKdBWSc0X

As Alex Staarmann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service explains, a snow squall can impact a person's visibility. 

"Anytime significantly reduced visibilities, particularly visibilities less than one quarter of a mile are expected  along with heavy snow, which can cause white out conditions or significantly reduced visibilities, which for most people impacts travel on highways and roadways and things like that," said Staarmann. 

He says this is the first season squall warnings are being issued.

Warning alerts about Wednesday's squall went out on cell phones too, but not everyone received them.