whiteout

/ˈhwaɪtˌaʊt/

/ˈwaɪtaʊt/

Other forms: whiteouts

A whiteout happens when snow falls so fast and heavily that you can't see very far in front of you. It's not safe to drive in a whiteout.

Whiteout is an official meteorological term, also known as "milky weather." A true whiteout occurs when there's snow on the ground, falling or blowing snow, and a hazy sky that contributes to an observer's inability to see anything but vague shapes. It was coined in the mid-20th century to describe an extremely heavy U.S. prairie snowfall. In 1977, people started calling the white correction fluid used to cover typewritten mistakes whiteout, though the brand name is "Wite-Out."

Definitions of whiteout

1. noun

   an arctic atmospheric condition with clouds over snow produce a uniform whiteness and objects are difficult to see; occurs when the light reflected off the snow equals the light coming through the clouds
   type of:

   snow, snowfall

   precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
2. verb

   lose daylight visibility in heavy fog, snow, or rain
   synonyms: white-out

   type of:

   lose

   fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
3. verb

   cover up with a liquid correction fluid
   synonyms: white out

   type of:

   cover

   provide with a covering or cause to be covered