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Zonda wind () is a regional term for the
The Zonda is a dry wind (often carrying dust) which comes from the polar maritime air, warmed by descent from the crest, which is approximately above
MeteoBlogs – ''Viento Zonda''
National Meteorological Service, Air Regions Command, Argentine Air Force.
Article. {{coord missing, Argentina Climate of Argentina Föhn effect Mendoza Province Winds
foehn wind
A Foehn, or Föhn (, , , ), is a type of dry, relatively warm downslope wind in the lee of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windw ...
that often occurs on the eastern slope of the Andes
The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...
, in Argentina
Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
.
Formation
The Zonda is a dry wind (often carrying dust) which comes from the polar maritime air, warmed by descent from the crest, which is approximately above sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
. It may exceed a velocity of .
The Zonda wind is produced by the northeastward movement of polar fronts, and although it is hot and dry at the low-lands, it is the main mechanism for snow
Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...
precipitation at the high altitude chains, where it looks as ''viento blanco'', reaching speeds sometimes over 200 km/h. Thus, instead of being a snow-eater, this wind is particularly important for this arid
Aridity is the condition of geographical regions which make up approximately 43% of total global available land area, characterized by low annual precipitation, increased temperatures, and limited water availability.Perez-Aguilar, L. Y., Plata ...
region, as it is connected to the buildup of the winter snow cover and accumulation over the scarce local glacier
A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...
s.
Occurrence
While this type of föhn wind may occur over most central parts of western Argentina, its effects are more impressive inLa Rioja
La Rioja () is an autonomous communities in Spain, autonomous community and provinces of Spain, province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other List of municipalities in La Rioja, cities and towns in the ...
, San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John (disambiguation), Saint John, most commonly refers to:
* San Juan, Puerto Rico
* San Juan, Argentina
* San Juan, Metro Manila, a highly urbanized city in the Philippines
San Juan may also refer to:
Places Arge ...
, and northern Mendoza provinces, where the mountain barrier (the Andes) is higher, while to the north the Puna plateau dissipates these winds.
According to studies (conducted over the period 1967–1976), the Zonda wind most commonly starts during the afternoon (between 12 and 6 PM), and tends to last between 1 and 12 hours, though it may present itself intermittently for as long as 2 or 3 days. It is countered usually by the entrance of cold air masses moving northwestward (''viento sur''). In 90% of the cases, the phenomenon takes place between May and November.
Alternative usage
The term ''zonda'' also describes a hot, humid north wind in thePampas
The Pampas (; from Quechua 'plain'), also known as the Pampas Plain, are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all o ...
, in advance of a depression moving eastwards, and preceding the pampero. This wind is also called the ''sondo''.
See also
*Zonda Department
Zonda Department (Spanish: ''Departamento Zonda'') is an administrative Departments of Argentina, department of San Juan Province, Argentina, San Juan Province in Argentina. Zonda is located in the south of the province, bordered by Ullúm Departm ...
, a department of the province of San Juan, Argentina.
* Pagani Zonda, a sports car which takes its name from the wind.
* Puelche wind
*Southeast Australian foehn
The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west—eac ...
References
*MeteoBlogs – ''Viento Zonda''
National Meteorological Service, Air Regions Command, Argentine Air Force.
Article. {{coord missing, Argentina Climate of Argentina Föhn effect Mendoza Province Winds