Table of Contents
What are the effects of Fohn winds on the environment?
Apart from bringing warmer and drier weather, Foehn winds can cause serious natural disasters. They bring droughts, dry up plants and farmlands, and exacerbate forest fires. They also melt snow, causing avalanche and floods.
How do foehn winds affect people?
The effect of foehn on mental well-being is the subject of folk law in Alpine regions: the phenomenon has been linked to depression, suicide, madness, headaches, sleeplessness and crime waves.
What is the fern effect weather?
The weather pattern which produces those higher temperatures in the north east is known as the Foehn effect. The air dries out, taking the cloud with it, and hence we see dry, sunny weather for the north east, along with higher temperatures.
Why do Foehns cause avalanches?
Foehn winds are typically blown in from the Atlantic and over France or up the Mediterranean where they rise sharply over the Alps. Following a strong retour d’est at the start of the season the warm winds caused havoc with the snowpack resulting in avalanches over major transport links.
What does foehn mean?
warm dry wind
: a warm dry wind blowing down the side of a mountain.
Why is harmattan called Doctor wind?
The Harmattan blows during the dry season, which occurs during the months with the lowest sun. On its passage over the Sahara, the harmattan picks up fine dust and sand particles (between 0.5 and 10 microns). It is also known as the “doctor wind”, because of its invigorating dryness compared with humid tropical air.
Which wind is called snow eater?
According to the Weather Doctor, the winds can easily vaporize a foot of snow within hours. Because of this, chinook winds are often known as the “snow eaters.” An extreme example of a Chinook wind was recorded in South Dakota in January 1943, according to Black Hills Weather.
Where is foehn found?
Foehn, German Föhn, warm and dry, gusty wind that periodically descends the leeward slopes of nearly all mountains and mountain ranges. The name was first applied to a wind of this kind that occurs in the Alps, where the phenomenon was first studied.
How do you survive harmattan?
How To Stay Healthy During Harmattan
- Drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
- Wash your eyes regularly to avoid red eyes which is common in during harmattan.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a mask or towel when it is dusty.
- Avoid or reduce outdoor activities, especially if you have allergies.
What does harmattan mean in English?
dry dusty wind
harmattan in British English (hɑːˈmætən ) noun. a dry dusty wind from the Sahara blowing towards the W African coast, esp from November to March.
Which wind is the warmest?
Winds from the south and southeast mainly occur in summer and these bring warm, dry weather. However, southerly winds can sometimes bring hot, thundery weather.
Why are Chinooks called Chinooks?
The Chinook is named after the Chinook Indians who lived along the Columbia River, and who were the first people to tell stories of “The Great South Wind”, or, in their language, the “Snow Eater”.