ATPL Meteorology Practice Test

A gust is defined as a sudden, brief increase in wind speed, typically lasting just a few seconds to minutes, and may be associated with changes in atmospheric conditions such as passing clouds or weather fronts. In this context, gusts occur in a localized area and are indeed brief events.

On the other hand, a squall is a more prolonged and significant increase in wind intensity, often lasting for several minutes and typically associated with storms. Squalls can cover a larger area and tend to represent a persistent change in wind conditions rather than the instantaneous changes characteristic of gusts.

Thus, while both gusts and squalls involve changes in wind speed, the defining feature of gusts is their localized and brief nature in comparison to the stronger and more sustained nature of squalls. This distinction reinforces the understanding of wind phenomena in meteorology.