What Is A Katabatic Wind, And What Is Not?

Katabatics are associated with strong, sudden gusts, but they can be confused with other phenomena. Chris Beeson explains

- Chris Beeson

Recently Barry Gray, a YM reader from Oman, wrote in to relate an alarming experience that happened while sailing the beautiful, mountainous Musandam peninsula in his Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i. After supper they were lying peacefully at anchor when they noticed the wind begin to build. They were clearing away the dishes when all hell broke loose. The boat was blown 180 degrees round her anchor and heeled to such an angle that Barry had to climb up the side of the companionway steps.

He described the winds as ‘katabatic’ and it seemed to tally with the notion we all have of katabatic winds: sudden, violent and linked to mountains. Then I did some more research and found that katabatic winds are a little more complicated than that.