"A Warm Wind and a Bad Headache": _NYT_ 2/8/00

[Alan H. Hartley]

David Robertson wrote:

> A fairly interesting, brief, article.  I'm interested in pointing out the
> not exactly obscure fact that such winds are called "Chinooks" in the
> Northwest USA also.  Presumably the term originated here in /wimalh
> IlI7i/, the Columbia River Gorge country, and from the first referred to
> winds that blow from Chinook country, no?
>
> Alan, this has been discussed before on the list, I believe, but if you
> care to interject an a propos cite or two, tant mieux.

Can't add anything, except that while the OED2 definition mentions explicitly
only the eastern-slope winds, it does draw the reader's attention to the
following quot.:

1967 R. W. Fairbridge Encycl. Atmos. Sci. 1151/2 Chinook winds may occur in
summer but are less noticeable then. The term chinook has mistakenly been used
for any warm and moist oceanic wind on the windward side of the [Rocky]
mountains.

The (more up-to-date) New Shorter OED (still 2 large volumes!) has:

"A warm dry wind which blows east of the Rocky Mountains. Also, a warm wet
southerly wind west of them.""

If anyone has examples of the latter use in print, please send them, and I'll
make sure they get into the OED's files for the third edition.

Alan