CHINOOK

**CHINOOK**

By definition: a warming wind from the ocean into the interior; a strong chinook can make one foot of snow vanish in less than one day.  The snow partially melts and partially evaporates in the warm dry wind.  These chinooks have the ability to cause a drastic weather change in temperature.  The greatest temperature change ever recorded was on January 15, 1972 in Loma, Montana with a swing in 24 hours of -54 to 48 degrees F.  The biggest challenge with chinook weather is that it warms and then bottoms out within 24 hours to a few days of the temperature rise.

We have experienced our first Chinook.  The average temperature for the last few weeks has been single digits as our highs and -25 as our lows.  Many days we never escaped the negative numbers.  It has been frigid cold.  Playing outdoors had come to a halt.  Indoor activities had started to become a bore.  I believe we were all starting to have cabin fever.  And then the chinook came. 

The perks:  For the last 2 days we have enjoyed 22+ degree weather.  It has felt like summer.  We have gone outside without jackets and gloves.  It has been wonderful.  SO WARM!  The kids have been sleeping in shorts and tee shirts at night.  We love it.  We have also recieved over 2 feet of snow.  This is added fun.  So while a chinook is bad, it also allows the snow to fall.  When you sit so low in the temperature, snow just doesn't come.  It is too cold.  So warm the temperature and the snow will fall. 
 
The hiccup:  When you are covered in snow and ice, warming is not good.  It causes water that will later re-freeze much harder and slicker.  So shovelling your driveway before a chinook...big no no... you will wake up to an ice driveway.  Driving after and during a chinook....very slick and dangerous.  You slip and slide everywhere. 


The result:  You play in the snow and enjoy the warm weather becuase soon...very soon...we will return again to our negative temperature weather pattern.  Be grateful and take it for it's hiccups and just enjoy.  We intend to do just that.  We have played in the snow the last two days after school and have loved the sledding and snow globe like atmosphere. 



I feel indifferent about Chinook weather...I like it and fear it at the same time.