What Is Chinook?
A warm, dry wind that rushes down the east side of the Rocky Mountains. It can melt snow fast and raise temperatures by dozens of degrees in hours. In technical terms: A foehn wind on the lee slopes of the Rockies.
Also called: Foehn, Snow Eater
Chinook In Plain English
A warm, dry wind that rushes down the east side of the Rocky Mountains. It can melt snow fast and raise temperatures by dozens of degrees in hours.
The Technical Definition
A foehn wind on the lee slopes of the Rockies; air descending the lee side warms at the dry adiabatic rate (about 9.8 degrees C per km), often after losing moisture on the windward side, producing rapid warming and humidity drops; rises of 20-30 degrees C within minutes to hours have been recorded.
Lessons That Use Chinook
- Local Winds: Sea Breezes, Mountain Winds And More Unit 3: Wind And Pressure Systems
