Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,760,142,194 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

katabatic

   Also found in: Encyclopedia, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.01 sec.
kat·a·bat·ic  (kt-btk)
adj.
Of or relating to a cold flow of air traveling downward: a katabatic wind.

[Greek katabatikos, pertaining to descent, from katabatos, descending : kata-, cata- + batos, going; see gw- in Indo-European roots.]

katabatic [ˌkætəˈbætɪk]
adj
(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Environmental Science) (of winds) blowing downhill through having become denser with cooling, esp at night when heat is lost from the earth's surface Compare anabatic

katabatic  (kt-btk)
Relating to wind currents that blow down a gradient, especially down the slopes of a mountain or glacier. When air comes in contact with the cool surface of a glacier or the upper regions of a mountain or slope, the air cools, becomes dense, and blows downward. Katabatic winds are usually cool and are especially common at night in polar regions. Compare anabatic.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Adj.1.katabatic - of an air current or wind; moving downward or down a slope because of cooling especially at night
meteorology - the earth science dealing with phenomena of the atmosphere (especially weather)
anabatic - of an air current or wind; rising especially up a slope; "an anabatic wind"


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in ? References in periodicals archive
 
Powerful katabatic winds arrived without warning to shatter the calm.
Instead, he says, the factors most likely at play here are tides, ocean currents beneath the ice shelf, and so-called katabatic winds--the cold, heavy air masses that can spill off the continent with hurricane speed.
The competition in the 1 1/8-mile race - three turns on the five-eighths-mile track - includes Washington state veteran Kid Katabatic (Luis Jauregui), Bob Baffert-trained Del Mar Gray (Jose Valdivia) and recent Fairplex stakes winners Prestigious Chief (Corey Black) and Moore's Flat (Fernando Valenzuela).
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.