chinook
shin-OOK
A warm, dry wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, most commonly in winter and early spring. Its arrival is sudden and dramatic — temperatures can rise 30 or 40 degrees Fahrenheit in hours, and snow that took weeks to accumulate can vanish in a day. Called "the snow eater."
Etymology
Named for the Chinook people of the Pacific Northwest. The wind was understood to come from the direction of Chinook territory, carrying warmth from the coast across the mountains. The word has become the generic term in North America for any foehn-type wind east of the Rockies.
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