squall

1 a disturbance of the atmosphere accompanied by wind and often by precipitation (as rain or snow) a snow squall is expected tonight Synonyms storm, tempestRelated Words blizzard, ice storm, snowstorm; cloudburst, hailstorm, rainsquall, rainstorm, thundershower, thunderstorm, weather, windstorm; northeaster (or nor'easter), norther, southeaster, southwester; cyclone, hurricane, typhoon; sandstorm

2 a state of noisy, confused activity the annual squall created when the store holds its biggest sale of the year Synonyms ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter [chiefly dialect], coil, corroboree [Australian], disturbance, do [chiefly dialect], foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha (also hoo-hah), hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurly-burly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry (or hurry-skurry), kerfuffle [chiefly British], moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore [Scottish], commotion, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zooRelated Words cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar; disorder, unrest, upheaval; eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst; brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee (also mêlée), scuffle; dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzyNear Antonyms calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquillity (or tranquility); order, orderliness