Anabatic Winds: In Relation with Snow/Glacier Basin

Definition

A local wind which blows up a slope heated by sunshine.

Anabatic winds: in relation with snow/glacier basin

An anabatic wind flows upslope of a mountain from lower valleys during daytime (Figure 1). It occurs due to radiational warming of the lower slopes by convection, which allows the warm and less dense air to rise and cold denser air to sink. This type of wind is most common in summer season when slopes are snow free and drier, which allow vertical sun rays to heat the ground faster. In winter, lower slopes are mostly snow covered and do not allow sun radiation to be absorbed and generate convective heating due to high albedo. There appears to have a significant relation between the type of a wind and how it affects snow melting, but theories in this respect have yet to be completely developed. Also, melting is mostly radiation driven, and therefore researchers have mostly focused on developing relations between melting and other meteorological parameters, including...