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Top Ten Important local winds in The World

ప్రప్ంచంలోనే ప్ది ముఖ్యమైన ప్రంతీయ ప్వనాలు

S.no Wind Name Continent Type Location
On the Alps and move over France towards the
1 Mistral Europe Very cold and dry
Mediterranean Sea
2 Loo Asia Hot and dry winds Northern plains of India and Pakistan
Blows from the Dinaric Alps down to the Adriatic
3 Bora Europe Cold and dry
Coast.
Strong, dusty, dry
4 Foehn Europe Leeward side of the Alps mountain ranges.
and warm
In north and south Polar Regions, Siberia, Canada
5 Blizzard North America Cold and dry
and the USA.
Eastern slopes of the Rockies in U.S.A. and
6 Chinook North America Hot and dry
Canada.
Argentina and Uruguay, particularly in the Rio de
7 Pampero South America Cold and dry
la Plata area.
8 The Santa Ana North America Hot and dry Over southern California
Blows from northeast and east to west in the
9 Harmattan Africa Warm and dry winds
eastern parts of Sahara
Comes from the Sahara and reaches hurricane
10 Sirocco Africa Warm and dry winds
speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe.
1. Mistral

Mistrals are most common local cold winds.

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.

Type: Very cold and dry

Location: On the Alps and move over France towards

the Mediterranean Sea
2. Loo

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.

Type: Hot and dry.

Location: Northern plains of India and Pakistan

3. Bora

A cold winter wind that occurs in eastern Europe is

called the “bora.” The bora blows from the Dinaric
Alps down to the Adriatic Coast. This blustery wind
travels from the north or northeast, like the mistral,
and can also reach speeds greater than 100 mph (160
kph).

Type: Cold and dry.

Location: Blows from the Dinaric Alps down to the

Adriatic Coast.
4. Foehn

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. 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.

Type: Hot and dry.

Location: Leeward side of the Alps mountain ranges.

5. Blizzard

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

Type: Cold and dry.

Location: In north and south Polar Regions, Siberia,

Canada and the USA.
6. Chinook

Chinook is the name of hot and dry local wind which

moves down the eastern slopes of the Rockies in U.S.A.
and Canada. 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.

Type: Hot and dry.

Location: Eastern slopes of the Rockies in U.S.A. and

Canada.
7. Pampero

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 north-westerly to
southerly or south westerly. They are most likely to
occur during the period June to September.

Type: Cold and dry.

Location: Argentina and Uruguay, particularly in the Rio

de la Plata area.
8. Santa Ana

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.

Type: Hot and dry.

Location: Over southern California

9. Harmattan

The warm and dry winds blowing from northeast and east to west
in the eastern parts of Sahara desert are called harmattan. While
blowing over Sahara desert these winds pick up more sands mainly
red sands. The western coast of Africa is warm and moist and
hence the weather becomes unpleasant because the weather con-
ditions characterized by high temperature and high relative
humidity become injurious for human health. The weather
becomes suddenly dry and pleasant at the arrival of harmattan as
the relative humidity of the air is remarkably reduced due to high
temperature and hyperaridity of harmattan. This is why harmattan
is known as ‘doctor’ in the Guinea coastal area of western Africa.

Type: Hot and dry.

Location: Blows from northeast and east to west in the eastern

parts of Sahara
10. Sirocco

Sirocco is a Mediterranean wind that comes from

the Sahara and reaches hurricane speeds in North
Africa and Southern Europe. The hotter, drier
continental air mixes with the cooler, wetter air of the
maritime cyclone, and the counter-clockwise
circulation of the low propels the mixed air across the
southern coasts of Europe. The Sirocco causes dusty
dry conditions along the northern coast of Africa,
storms in the Mediterranean Sea, and cool wet
weather in Europe.

Type: Hot and dry.

Location: Comes from the Sahara and reaches

hurricane speeds in North Africa and Southern Europe.
All The Best