Language of the Day: Atmospheric River

Lately you may have heard the term “atmospheric river,” and you might be wondering, is that just another word for a rainstorm?

That is partly true, (Vancouver is build in a rain-forest after all It is a rainforest, after all), but recently these types of storms have been getting bigger, happening more often, and having a bigger impact on our lives. The extreme rains BC saw last year demonstrated this when the city of Abbotsford flooded and the Coquihala highway saw parts wash away.

The term “atmospheric river” is becoming more popular with meteorologists (weather scientists) who are using it to warn us about the potential impact that the weather might have.

So what is an atmospheric river? Basically, it is a long, narrow band of concentrated water vapour in the sky. In fact, these “rivers in the sky” can transport even more water per year than the Amazon river!

These weather systems travel from the hotter areas of the world toward the north and south poles and meet the west coast of North America. Have you heard the term Pineapple Express? That’s used to describe an atmospheric river that originates near Hawaii.

When these streams of water vapour meet the mountains on the West coast of North America, the water condenses and falls to earth in a period of strong and intense rainfall.

Atmospheric rivers are important part of the global water cycle, but they can also cause major damage to cities and buildings in the area where they fall.

So next time you hear this term on the news or in conversation, you’ll know to grab your rain coat because a storm is on the way!