A Chinook Wind occurs regularly on the Front Range in winter. It happens when winds move from a high altitude to a low altitude causing the air to substantially warm up often melting snow. Western Colorado occasionally experiences a Chinook wind, it’s welcome when your driveway thaws, but less welcome by farmers. The opposite occurs when winds move from a low altitude to higher altitude. This is called an “upslope wind” and triggers cooling of the ground atmosphere causing moisture in the air to condense, and precipitation occurs.
Growing Home - Chinook Wind
