“Hair Dryer” Winds Could Strain Vulnerable Antarctic Ice Shelf

“Hair Dryer” Winds Could Strain Vulnerable Antarctic Ice Shelf

5 years ago
Anonymous $fWzGa1uP8i

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ldquo-hair-dryer-rdquo-winds-could-strain-vulnerable-antarctic-ice-shelf/

Warm, dry winds sweeping across Antarctica can temporarily cause extraordinary melting events. Known as "foehn" winds — from a German word often translated as "hair dryer" — they pack a major punch, even during the frigid fall and winter months.

It's a natural phenomenon, periodically occurring in various regions of the ice sheet. But some researchers say continued climate change could alter some of the atmospheric circulation patterns driving the winds, potentially causing them to occur more frequently in the future.