Chinook Winds

[thich]

question: is Calgary (and region) the only place that gets chinook winds?
seems like a lot of my non-Calgary friends have never heard of them before

[benyl]

The chinook phenomenon happens in a lot of places...

In Europe, they call it the Foen wind.

The reverse winds (off shore) in California are called the Santa Anas.

[AquamosH]

I heard before that here and somewhere in France are the only places that get Chinook winds.

[Melinda]

Yeah I think there are only 2 places in the world that actually get the same thing as a chinook, but there are a few places that get similar things

[Redlyne_mr2]

It's an occurance that happens mainly around the South east part of Alberta. A Chinook begins formation over the pacific ocean where it picks up moisture and as the moist air reaches the coastal mountains it is forced to rise. As the air is rising it expands and totally cools down and then this moisture condenses to form rain or snow which is why it usually snows or rains alot in the mountains before a chinook.As the rain or snow dumps down the heat stored by the moist air releases. The air is now dryer and warmer and flows over the mountains then descdends down the eastern slopes and hits Calgary and surrounding area

[D'z Nutz]

Nope, these happen in other places too, but there are different names for different place (for the same thing, though). Benyl's right in that they're also called foehn winds.

[REFLUX]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
It's an occurance that happens mainly around the South east part of Alberta. A Chinook begins formation over the pacific ocean where it picks up moisture and as the moist air reaches the coastal mountains it is forced to rise. As the air is rising it expands and totally cools down and then this moisture condenses to form rain or snow which is why it usually snows or rains alot in the mountains before a chinook.As the rain or snow dumps down the heat stored by the moist air releases. The air is now dryer and warmer and flows over the mountains then descdends down the eastern slopes and hits Calgary and surrounding area

sweet, now I don't have to google "chinook"
thnx!!

[5.9 R/T]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
It's an occurance that happens mainly around the South east part of Alberta. A Chinook begins formation over the pacific ocean where it picks up moisture and as the moist air reaches the coastal mountains it is forced to rise. As the air is rising it expands and totally cools down and then this moisture condenses to form rain or snow which is why it usually snows or rains alot in the mountains before a chinook.As the rain or snow dumps down the heat stored by the moist air releases. The air is now dryer and warmer and flows over the mountains then descdends down the eastern slopes and hits Calgary and surrounding area

Mostly right, when the saturated air is forced up mountain slopes the air cools at a slower rate (2 degrees per 1000ft) and then when the dry air begins to descend on our side of the rockies it warms at a faster rate (3 degrees per 1000ft). Due to the fact that moist air holds its temperature better then dry air.

Ex: Saturated air starting at 14 C cools to -2 C climbing 10 000ft. It drops its moisture over the mountains and then when it descends it warms from -2 C to 28 C descending 10 000 feet.

Other Useless Info:
The cloud that usually forms over the mountains during a chinook is called a Foehn wall. The layer of cloud that forms just past the mountains on satillite images called the Chinook arch is formed from the wind hitting the ground and 'bouncing' back up. Occasionally the Chinook arch can form all the way from Alaska down to Denver.

So technically a 'Chinook' can form anywhere that moist air rises, dries, and then descends.

[Melinda]

Originally posted by 5.9 R/T
Other Useless Info:
The cloud that usually forms over the mountains during a chinook is called a Foehn wall. The layer of cloud that forms just past the mountains on satillite images called the Chinook arch is formed from the wind hitting the ground and 'bouncing' back up. Occasionally the Chinook arch can form all the way from Alaska down to Denver.

An example of a chinook arch

[5.9 R/T]

Originally posted by Melinda

An example of a chinook arch

Awsome pic!

I remember seeing a pic that my geog prof had of an arch west of Calgary and then a secondary one forming over the Strathmore area. Wx phenomena certianlly make for good photo ops if you're there at the right time.

[GTS Jeff]

chinooks that roll off the rockies can hit a lot of shit east of the rockies..including edmonton occasionally.