Chinook wind

Chinook winds, or chinooks, are two types of warm winds that happen in western North America. There are Coastal Chinooks and interior Chinooks.

Coastal Chinooks are wet, warm winds that come from the ocean. They affect the Pacific Northwest and bring a lot of moisture. This helps create the region's famous temperate rainforests.

Interior Chinooks are warm, dry winds that blow down the eastern sides of mountain ranges. People sometimes call these winds "snow eaters" because they can melt snow quickly. They can raise temperatures a lot in winter, sometimes turning very cold weather into much warmer conditions in just a few hours.

The term "Chinook" comes from the name of the Chinook people, who lived near the Columbia River. These winds are important because they affect the climate and weather in many parts of western North America.

In the Pacific Northwest

Main article: Pineapple Express

The term "Chinook" describes warm, wet winds that come from the southwest along the western coast of North America. These winds, also known as the pineapple express, start near Hawaii. They bring warmth and moisture, and sometimes cause snow when they meet cold air. This snow usually melts quickly because the winds stay warm.

When these coastal Chinook winds blow inland to British Columbia, the air loses much of its moisture over the mountains. This means the interior gets warmer and drier weather. This can turn snow into slush and melt it, even without much rain.

Pronunciation in the Pacific Northwest

The word "Chinook" is pronounced differently in different places. Along the coast of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, especially around Puget Sound, it is pronounced chin-uk (/tʃɪˈnʊk/). Further inland, including in Alberta and much of Canada, it is often pronounced shi-NUUK (/ʃɪˈnʊk/).

First nations myth from British Columbia

A story from the Lil'wat people tells of a girl named Chinook-Wind who married Chinook Glacier. She missed her warm home by the sea and sent a message to her people. They came to her in a dream as snowflakes, promising to bring her back. After a struggle with the glacier, they took her back to her seaside home.

Chinooks in Alberta and eastern British Columbia

Interior Chinooks are warm winds that happen most often in southern Alberta, especially around Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass. These winds can make temperatures rise very quickly.

These winds can also cause problems for driving because they blow snow around, making roads hard to see. Sometimes, they can make the air feel very different on different sides of a mountain. This can lead to beautiful colored clouds in the sky, called Chinook arches.

Chinooks and föhn winds in the inland United States

In the western interior of North America, winds called "Chinooks" are known to scientists as föhn winds. These winds can happen on the leeward side of any nearby mountain range. The Chinook winds are especially common in inland western North America, particularly in the Rocky Mountain region. Montana experiences many of these winds, especially during winter, coming from the Rocky Mountain Front in the northern and west-central parts of the state.

On rare occasions, Chinook winds from the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains have traveled as far east as Wisconsin.

Records

Loma, Montana has a world record for the biggest temperature change in one day. On January 15, 1972, the temperature went from −54 °F to 49 °F.

Spearfish, South Dakota holds records for the fastest temperature rise and drop. On January 22, 1943, the temperature jumped from −4 °F to 45 °F in two minutes. Later that day, it dropped from 54 °F to −4 °F in 27 minutes.

Rapid City, South Dakota has the record for the fastest temperature drop. On January 10, 1911, the temperature fell from 60 °F to 13 °F in two hours.

Squamish winds, williwaws, and Chugach föhns

The Squamish winds are a type of wind that blows from the mountains toward the coast. They are called Squamish because they come down from Howe Sound, near the home of the Squamish people. In Alaska, these winds are known as williwaws. These winds are cold and flow from the interior through river valleys and canyons in the Coast Mountains to the coast.

A similar wind happens in the Cook Inlet region of Alaska. Here, warm air moves over the Chugach Mountains between Prince William Sound and Portage Glacier. People in Anchorage often enjoy these warm winds, which melt snow and make streets wet. Some people mistakenly think these warm winds come from the same place as the Chinook winds near the coasts of southern British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.