Quizzes
Quick Facts
- Also called:
- upslope wind
- Related Topics:
- Katabatic wind
- local wind system
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Anabatic wind
meteorology
Also known as: upslope wind
Anabatic wind, local air current that blows up a hill or mountain slope facing the Sun. During the day, the Sun heats such a slope (and the air over it) faster than it does the adjacent atmosphere over a valley or a plain at the same altitude. This warming decreases the density of the air, causing it to rise. More air rises from below to replace it, producing a wind. An anabatic wind often attains a velocity of 3–5 metres per second (7–11 miles per hour).
This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.
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