Other Local Winds - Chinooks

  • produced as strong westerly flow rides up and over the mountains

  • chinooks are descending, warm, dry winds on the lee side of a mountain range.

  • Q: Why is the air that reaches the base of the mountain on the leeward side often quite warm and dry?? ANSWER

  • Chinooks are common east of the Rockies

    • also observed in the Alps - called the foehn

QUESTIONS FOR THOUGHT:

1.  If campfire smoke is blowing uphill along the east-facing side of the hill and downhill along the west-facing side of the same hill, are the fires cooking breakfast or dinner? From the drift of the smoke, how were you able to tell?

2.  Why don't chinook winds form on the east side of the Appalachians?