Valley breeze
Also called: Anabatic wind · Topic: Atmospheric Pressure, Winds and General Circulation · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 9 "Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems"
Meaning
A valley breeze is a daytime wind that blows up a valley and its slopes. The Sun heats the slopes, and the slopes warm the air above them. This warm, light air rises along the slopes and pulls air up from the valley floor. As the rising air cools, clouds often build over the peaks by afternoon. Because the air moves upslope, it is also called an anabatic wind.
Example
On sunny summer days in the Kullu Valley of Himachal Pradesh, air moves up the slopes. By afternoon, clouds often gather over the surrounding peaks.
Don't confuse with
- Mountain breeze: it is the night-time wind that blows down the slopes into the valley.
- Katabatic wind: it is cold, heavy air flowing downhill, the opposite direction to an anabatic wind.