Local wind systems influence the weather pattern where ever they blow.

Some important local winds are:

Mountain and Valley Breezes

Land and Sea Breezes

Berg

Location : South western coasts of South Africa and Namibia

Etymology : Afrikaans berg meaning ‘mountain’

Description : Winds which blow from inland mountains to the southern and western coasts of Namibia and South Africa.

These winds blow during the winter season and create unseasonably warm temperatures.

Bora

Location : The Adriatic regions of Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia

Etymology : From the Greek boreas meaning ‘north-wind’

Description : A cold wind blowing on the north Adriatic coast and north Italian plains predominantly in winter and spring.

Chinook

Location : Rocky Mountains, Canada & USA

Etymology : Named after Native American tribe

Description : A warm and dry west wind (a type of foehn) which occurs on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains. Its arrival is usually sudden, with a consequent large temperature rise and rapid melting of snow.

The literal meaning of chinook is ‘snow eater’ as they help in melting the snow earlier. They keep the grasslands clear of snow. Hence they are very helpful to ranchers.

Etesian

Location : Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean

Etymology : From the Greek etos, meaning ‘yearly’

Description : A Greek term for the winds which blow at times in summer (May to September) from a direction between north-east and north-west in the eastern Mediterranean, more especially in the Aegean Sea. The winds are termed ‘meltemi’ in Turkey.

Foehn

Location : European Alps

Etymology : Derived from Latin favonius meaning spring breezes

Description : Foehn is strong, dusty, dry and warm local wind which develops on the leeward side of the Alps mountain ranges.

Regional pressure gradient forces the air to ascend and cross the barrier. Ascending air sometimes causes precipitation on the windward side of the mountains.

After crossing the mountain crest, the Foehn winds starts descending on the leeward side or northern slopes of the mountain as warm and dry wind. The temperature of the winds vary from 15°C to 20°C which help in melting snow. Thus making pasture land ready for animal grazing and help the grapes to ripe early.

Haboob

Location : Sudan

Etymology : From the Arabic habub meaning ‘blasting’

Description : The name applies to a duststorm in the Sudan north of about 13° N. They occur from about May to September and are most frequent in the afternoon and evening.

Harmattan

Location : West Africa

Etymology : Possibly from haram meaning ‘forbidden thing’

Description : A dry wind blowing from a north-east / easterly direction over north-west Africa. Being both dry and relatively cool, it forms a welcome relief from the steady damp heat of the tropics, and from its health-giving powers it is known locally as ‘the doctor’.

It carries with it from the desert great quantities of dust often in sufficient quantity to form a thick haze, which impedes navigation on the rivers.

Khamsin

Location : Egypt and the Red Sea

Etymology : From the Arabic khamsin meaning ‘fifty’

Description : A southerly wind blowing over Egypt in front of depressions passing eastwards along the Mediterranean or north Africa, while pressure is high to the east of the Nile.

Because this wind blows from the interior of the continent it is hot and dry, and often carries much dust. It is named referring to the fifty days it was said to blow, most frequently from April to June.

Levant

Location : Spain, South France and Gibraltar

Etymology : From the French levant meaning ‘rising’

Description : A humid easterly wind which passes through the Strait of Gibraltar. It is most frequent from June to October, but may occur in any month.

Leveche

Location : South east Spain

Etymology : Unknown

Description : A hot, dry, southerly wind which blows on the south-east coast of Spain in front of an advancing depression.

It frequently carries much dust and sand, and its approach is indicated by a strip of brownish cloud on the southern horizon.

Mistral

Location : Southern France

Etymology : From the latin magistralis meaning ‘master wind’

Description : They originate on the Alps and move over France towards the Mediterranean Sea through the Rhone valley.

They are very cold, dry and high velocity winds. They bring down temperature below freezing point in areas of their influence.

People in these areas protect their orchards and gardens by growing thick hedges and build their houses
facing the Mediterranean sea.

Scirocco or Sirocco

Location : North Africa and Mediterranean.

Etymology : From the Greek name Sirokos meaning ‘east’.

Description : A warm, southerly wind in the Mediterranean region. Near the north coast of Africa the wind is hot and dry and often carries much dust.

After crossing the Mediterranean, the scirocco reaches the European coast as a moist wind and is often associated with low stratus clouds.

It is a blanket terms that encompasses many local winds including:

Ghibli (Libya)

Chili (Tunisia)

Khamsin (Egypt)

Santa Ana

Location : Southern California

Etymology : It may get its name from the Santa Ana Mountains or the Santa Ana Canyon but other possibilities are that it derives from santanas, meaning ‘devil winds’, or the Spanish Satanás, meaning Satan.

Description : A hot, dry, strong, blustery, föhn-type wind which blows from the north-east or east over southern California and carries with it large quantities of dust.

It is most frequent in winter but may also occur in spring or autumn.

These winds can cause a great deal of damage.

As they are hot and dry, they cause vegetation to dry out, so increasing the risk of wildfires; and once fires start the winds fan the flames and hasten the spread of the fires.

In spring, Santa Ana winds can cause considerable damage to fruit trees.

Blizzard

Location and Description : Blizzard is a violent stormy cold and powdery polar wind laden with dry snow and is prevalent in north and south Polar Regions, Siberia, Canada and the USA.

The visibility becomes remarkably low because of snow and ice crystals. The velocity ranges between 80-96 km an hour.

The arrival of these winds causes sudden drop in air temperature to subfreezing level, thick cover of snow on the ground surface and onset of cold waves.

These winds reach the southern states of the USA because of the absence of any east-west mountain barrier.

They are called ‘norther’ in the southern USA and ‘burran’ in Siberia.

Karaburan

Location and Description : ‘Black storm’ a spring and summer katabatic wind of central Asia.

Loo

Location and Description : Loo are hot and dry winds, which blow very strongly over the northern plains
of India and Pakistan in the months of May and June.

Their direction is from west to east and they are usually experienced in the afternoons. Their temperature varies between 45°C to 50°C.

Nor’easter

Location and Description : Strong winds from the northeast in the eastern United States, especially New England.

Nor’wester

Location and Description : Wind that brings rain to the West Coast, and warm dry winds to the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, caused by the moist prevailing winds being uplifted over the Southern Alps, often accompanied by a distinctive arched cloud pattern.

Pampero

Location and Description : The name given to severe line squalls in Argentina and Uruguay, particularly in the Rio de la Plata area.

They are associated with marked cold fronts and are usually accompanied by rain, thunder and lightning, a sharp drop in temperature and a sudden change of wind direction from northerly or northwesterly to southerly or south westerly.

They are most likely to occur during the period June to September.

Simoom

Location and Description : Strong, dry, desert wind that blows in the Sahara, Israel, Jordan, Syria, and the desert of Arabia.

Zonda

Location and Description : On the eastern slope of the Andes in Argentina.

Papagayo

Location and Description : It is a strong, northeasterly wind that affects the Pacific coast of Central America, from Guatemala to the Gulf of Papagayo in Costa Rica.

The papagayo winds are produced by a cold air mass that travels down through the Central American mountains. It brings weather that is cold and blustery, yet clear.