chinook wind

The warm dry wind which descends downslope on the lee side of a mountain range. It is warm from the compressional heating of the air as it sinks, and it is dry because the air retains the low moisture properties of the higher altitude source region. The Rocky Mountains' chinook wind, Los Angeles basin's Santa Ana wind, and the Swiss Alps' foehn wind are all different names for a wind with the same characteristics. The Native Americans living on the eastern side of the Rockies referred to the wind as the "snow eater." The chinook wind has been known to increase the air temperature by 34° F in 7 minutes and melt 5 feet of snow in as little as 12 hours.