Question

Dry wind that sometimes blows over the Great Plains

Answer 1

I believe these are called foehn winds.

Answer 2

The gusts can also reach up to 80 mph (128 km/h) as the winds come down the mountains and pass over the plains. When the warm, dry, fast-moving Chinook winds pass over snow-covered areas, the snow often vaporizes before it has a chance to melt, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.