Most people think of chinooks as the winter warm-up. But a chinook is also a drying wind, and that matters too.
As the air comes down the east side of the Rockies, it warms up and dries out. When it reaches Lethbridge, the humidity can drop to 20 percent or lower within hours. Snow doesn’t just melt; a lot of it evaporates straight into the air. That’s why a good chinook can make a snowpack disappear without leaving puddles behind.
What a dry chinook means for you
- Grass fire risk. In fall and early winter, when there’s no snow on the ground, dry grass plus strong wind is a dangerous mix. A spark from a tow chain, a cigarette or a burn barrel can spread across a field quickly.
- Static shocks and dry skin, more than usual.
- Thirsty trees and shrubs. Evergreens lose moisture through their needles all winter, and chinooks speed that up. Watering on a mild day in winter helps prevent winter burn.
- Quick drying for decks, fences and outdoor gear, which is handy for staining in the shoulder seasons.
What to do
- Check for fire bans before any burning. Lethbridge County and the city both issue them.
- Never park on dry grass with a hot exhaust or catalytic converter.
- Give evergreens a deep drink on a mild chinook day if the ground isn’t frozen.
Watch the humidity drop live during the next chinook at westlethbridgeweather.com, and read more on our Wind in Lethbridge page.
Related: Live conditions at West Lethbridge Weather · Wind in Lethbridge
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