wind gap
geology
Quick Summary
A wind gap is a notch in a mountain ridge that is not occupied by a stream. These geological features are often remnants of older stream courses that have been abandoned due to stream capture. Stream capture occurs when a more aggressively eroding stream cuts through a divide and diverts the flow of another stream. The sections of the valley left behind after such captures are known as wind gaps, contrasting with water gaps that still contain active streams. The term "wind valley" is synonymous with wind gap.123
Summary created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
3 Britannica Sources
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
