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Zonda wind ( es, viento zonda) is a regional term for the
The Zonda is a dry wind (often carrying dust) which comes from the polar
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 that occurs in the lee (downwind side) of a mountain range.
It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of i ...
that often occurs on the eastern slope of the Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
, in Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...
.
Formation
The Zonda is a dry wind (often carrying dust) which comes from the polar maritime
Maritime may refer to:
Geography
* Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps
* Maritime Region, a region in Togo
* Maritime Southeast Asia
* The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Pr ...
air, warmed by descent from the crest, which is approximately above sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical datuma standardise ...
. It may exceed a velocity of .
The Zonda wind is produced by the northeastward movement of polar fronts, and although is hot and dry at the low-lands, it is the main mechanism for snow
Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere
An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet ...
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
A region is arid when it severely lacks available water, to the extent of hindering or preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life. Regions with arid climates tend to lack vegetation and are called xeric or desertic. Most ...
region, as it is connected to the buildup of the winter snow cover and accumulation over the scarce local glacier
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires distinguishing features, such a ...
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 community and province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a ...
, San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
, 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 the qu, pampa, meaning "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 of Uruguay; and Bra ...
, in advance of a depression moving eastwards, and preceding the pampero Pampero may refer to:
* ''El Pampero'', first balloon flown by the Argentine aviator Jorge Newbery in the 1910s
* Industrias Pampero, C.A., rum distillery in Venezuela
* Licoreros de Pampero, Venezuelan professional baseball club
* ''Pampero'', a ...
. This wind is also called the ''sondo''.
See also
* Zonda Department, 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 foehnReferences
*MeteoBlogs – ''Viento Zonda''
National Meteorological Service, Air Regions Command, Argentine Air Force.
Article. {{coord missing, Argentina Climate of Argentina Föhn effect Mendoza Province Winds