An early snow squall on New Year's Day dumped a burst of snow onto the Philadelphia region causing slick roads and below freezing temperatures.

The first morning of 2026 featured a few rounds of snow across the Tri-State Area.Most notable was an intense snow squall that plowed through the region right before sunrise. That squall line put down a quick coating to 1 inch of snow in many locations.

Winter weather can go from beautiful to harsh in a blink. That's especially true for snow squalls. Know what they are and how to respond before one happens.

An early morning snow squall led to dangerous road conditions and crashes throughout the Philadelphia area on New Year’s Day. According to the National Weather Service, snow squalls are intense but quick periods of moderate to heavy snowfall accompanied by gusty winds that reduce visibilities and lead to whiteout conditions on roads.

Three people were injured when a driver lost control and struck a utility pole as a fast-moving snow squall dropped a quick coating of snow across Philadelphia Thursday morning. A fast-moving snow squall dropped a quick coating of snow across the city Thursday morning.

According to MDOT, the left shoulder, left lane, right center lane, right lane and right shoulder are all blocked.

A snow squall is a short burst of heavy snow and wind, which can cause dangerous “whiteout” conditions. A snow squall moving across Massachusetts was reported to have dropped 1.5 inches in a span of 30 minutes in Millis on Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

During a squall, forecasters said drivers should be alert for "sudden whiteout conditions" from intense bursts of heavy snow.