Anabatic winds refer to any upslope wind (flowing uphill), typically driven by heating from solar radiation during the day.
Contrary to their counterpart, katabatic winds, anabatic winds are typically relatively gentle, blowing around 5 to 10 miles per hour.
During the day, solar radiation warms the surface of the Earth. On a mountain slope, where the ground is higher in elevation than a nearby valley or plain, the air directly above the warm surface becomes warmer than the air at the same level over the plain.
This temperature imbalance causes the atmospheric pressure to be lower over the slope than over the valley, causing air to flow towards the slope.
This happens at all levels of the slope, causing that gentle wind pushing uphill.
These winds can behelpful to pilots, as gliders can gain altitude without using engine power and larger planes can climb more efficiently in mountainous areas.
Anabatic winds can also cause the formation of clouds at the top of mountains or hills as winds from multiple sides can collide and create more lift, causing cooling and condensation.
Sara Tonksis a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor's and a master's degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences along with a master's degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.
