Dry calgary wind

When in Calgary, Alberta, Canada it is not uncommon to experience the effects of Chinook winds.

So was Leonardo DiCaprio. Chinooks have become such a reality for me since I have moved to Calgary — I sometimes forget that the rest of the world may not be well versed in the unique weather phenomenon. Chinook winds — also known as Foehn winds in other parts of the world — are a type of warm, dry wind that occur on the downward slope of a mountain when warm air has lost its moisture. In Canada, the winds originate from the Pacific Coast. Those who have not the warm, invigorating Chinook winds of this country, cannot well comprehend what a blessing they are. The icy clutch of winter is lessened, the earth throws off its winding sheet of snow.

Dry calgary wind

Chinook winds , or simply Chinooks , are two types of prevailing warm, generally westerly winds in western North America: Coastal Chinooks and interior Chinooks. The coastal Chinooks are persistent seasonal, wet, southwesterly winds blowing in from the ocean. The coastal Chinooks were the original term, used along the northwest coast, [1] and the term in the interior of North America is later and derives from the coastal term. In the interior of North America, the Blackfoot people call these winds the "snow eater"; [4] however, the more commonly used term "Chinook" originates from the name of the eponymous Chinook people , who lived near the ocean, along the lower Columbia River , where the term was first derived. These same winds have more recently been called the pineapple express , since they are of tropical origin, roughly from the area of the Pacific near Hawaii. The air associated with a coastal Chinook is stable; this minimizes wind gusts and often keeps winds light in sheltered areas. In exposed areas, fresh gales are frequent during a Chinook, but strong gale- or storm-force winds are uncommon; most of the region's stormy winds come when a fast "westerly" jet stream lets air masses from temperate and subarctic latitudes clash. When a coastal Chinook comes in when an Arctic air mass is holding steady over the coast, the tropical dampness brought in suddenly cools, penetrating the frozen air and coming down in volumes of powder snow , sometimes to sea level. Snowfalls and the cold spells that spawned them only last a few days during a Chinook; as the warm coastal Chinooks blow from the southwest, they push back east the cold Arctic air. The snow melts quickly and is gone within a week. The effects on the Interior of British Columbia when a coastal Chinook is in effect are the reverse. In a rainy spell, most of the heavy moisture will be wrung out of the rising air as a consequence of crossing over the mountain ramparts before the air mass descends and hence warms and dries into the Fraser Canyon and the Thompson River - Okanagan area. The effects are similar to those of an Albertan interior Chinook, though not to the same extreme, partly because the Okanagan is relatively warmer than the Prairies , and partly because of the additional number of precipitation-catching mountain ranges between Kelowna and Calgary. When the coastal Chinook brings snow to the coast during a period of coastal cold, bright but chilly weather in the interior will give way to a slushy melting of snow, more due to the warm spell than because of rain.

Chinook winds are a fascinating weather pattern. I was imagining a great hiking day. I also found the varying temperatures could contribute to colds and flu.

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Have a look at the top kitesurfing, windsurfing, sailing, surfing or fishing spots in Canada. General This is the wind, wave and weather forecast for Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Forecast This forecast is based on the GFS model. Forecasts are available worldwide. The horizontal resolution is about 13 km. Predictions are available in time steps of 3 hours for up to 10 days into the future. The arrows point in the direction in which the wind is blowing.

Dry calgary wind

Calgary is prone to high winds which can be dangerous: flying debris, downed trees, and power lines can lead to power outages, property damage, air and transit disruptions and serious injury. Windstorms in Calgary can happen anytime; good indicators of high winds include thunderstorms, intense low pressure centres, cold fronts, and Chinook arches. Southern Alberta is one of the windiest regions in Canada.

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Calgarians learn to pay attention to puddles on the roads while walking on the adjacent sidewalk. When in Calgary, Alberta, Canada it is not uncommon to experience the effects of Chinook winds. Dave, that is absolutely fascinating. Holy moly. Thanks so much Carl! Weather can be strange indeed Johanna! And I mean dramatically. Subscribe Now. Retrieved This is extremely informative, Dave. Thanks so much Jet!!

Get your code: Copy to clipboard. Wind direction is East, wind speed varies between 6.

I find all extreme weather events fascinating, but I have never heard of this Chinook Winds. Yes, these winds can play tricks. Because of my headache I decided to look at the weather. Thanks so much Wendy. Amazing phenomenon. This is once again caused by the "off-and-on" dormancy throughout winter. Yes, Calgary can have pretty spectacular skies. Dave Hubby. A F 57C swing. We had the opposite of that here today on Vancouver Island. Thanks for sharing this information….