Wind is the invisible movement of air that is caused by differences in temperature. The general circulation wind pattern is well known from the Doldrums to the Roaring Forties but some winds are on a more local scale. Nonetheless they are still very important and can give either relief from searing summer heat or a blast of cold winter weather.
There are dozens of local winds across Europe so I shall only look at a few of the more well known ones.
There are really three main types of small scale winds. Firstly one that is set off by the larger pressure systems, either a depression moving through the Mediterranean, or a wind squeezed between high and low pressure.
Secondly by air rushing down a mountainside as a katabatic wind, known as a Fohn wind, and thirdly by the unequal heating of the sea and land, the sea breeze. I shall be writing more about these two later in the series.
The first set of winds are felt on the forward side of a low pressure as it moves eastwards through the Mediterranean. In late autumn through the winter as Atlantic depressions enter the western side of the Mediterranean strong southwesterly winds blow in the straits of Gibraltar. This wind is known as the Vendavales and is associated with very squally weather with thunderstorms.
As the depression moves into the central Mediterranean a strong southerly wind can develop ahead of it. This wind, called the Scirocco, blows out from North Africa with a lot of dust and sand in the air making it very hazy and if the sun takes on a white appearance it will rain within twenty four hours. As the Scirocco moves across the sea it picks up a lot of moisture and can blow into the south coast of France as a strong warm and wet wind called the Marin.
On the other hand if the depression moves eastwards rather than up into the Gulf of Lyon the hot dry winds blow out into the eastern Mediterranean as the Khamsin.
The Mistral is probably the best known local wind in Europe. It blows down the Rhone valley in southern France reaching the sea at Marseilles and St.Tropez. It usually develops as a cold front moves down across France piling up the air in the Alps before spilling over the top and rushing down the Rhone valley at speeds of up to 80 mph. It usually brings dry but colder sunnier weather and is likely to cause heavy seas making it a surfer's paradise.
The Bora is formed in a similar way to the Mistral and blows across the northern Adriatic. It starts when cold air collects over Yugoslavia, mainly during the winter, and spills over the high mountain passes. This northeasterly wind can reach speeds of 100 mph causing extensive damage and disruption to the water traffic in Venice.
There is also a northerly wind that blows through the central and eastern Mediterranean during the summer. With high pressure over Hungary and low pressure over Turkey this strong wind brings very welcome cooler weather down across Greece and Turkey giving some relief from the normal fierce heat. This refreshing summer wind is known as the Etesian by the Greeks and the Meltemi by those in Turkey.
Related Links:
- Find out more about weather around the world
