chinook (weather)

chinook warm, dry air mass that descends the eastern slopes of the U.S. and Canadian Rocky Mts. after having lost moisture by condensation over the western slopes. Chinooks occur mainly in winter. They sometimes replace the cold continental air mass over the western plains, causing rapid melting of snow and temperature increases as great as 40°F (22°C) within a few hours. Similar winds occurring in the Alps and elsewhere are known as foehn winds. The term chinook was originally applied by Oregon settlers to a moist Pacific wind blowing from the direction of a Chinook camp.

chinook Warm, dry, westerly wind of the Föhn type which blows on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. The quick onset of the wind and the sudden large rise in temperature is associated in spring with rapid melting of the snow.

chinook A warm, dry, westerly wind of the föhn type which blows on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. The quick onset of the wind and the sudden large rise in temperature is associated in spring with rapid melting of the snow.