Some Temperature Anomalies

Abstract

THE investigations conducted by Hann and others have yielded a complete explanation of the physical processes involved in the production of the Föhn, Chinook, and similar winds met with in various parts of the world—a warm, moist air current depositing its moisture and decreasing in temperature while ascending the windward slope of a mountain range, then on the lee side descending and becoming intensely dry and increasing greatly in temperature as a consequence of the increase of pressure during the descent. But in the British Isles, and no doubt in other regions similarly situated in the neighbourhood of a relatively warm ocean current, there are occasions—and they are by no means uncommon—when a mild, soft sea breeze produces some curious temperature anomalies, which, so far as I am aware, have not attracted the attention of meteorologists and physicists, and, consequently, are thus far without any adequate explanation. They visit this country and western Europe in all seasons, but they are more noticeable in the winter half of the year, because the change of temperature is then relatively much greater than in the normally warm seasons.