All over the world there are strange and persistent winds that are studied as natural phenomenon. These winds sometimes have strange effects on people and their behaviors. Some of these winds include the foehn of Austria, the mistral of France, the sirocco of the Mediterranean and the Santa Ana winds of Los Angeles.
The foehn of Austria is caused by the rising of warm, moist air up windward slopes and it expands and cools, thus collecting water vapor. After that it cools slower because its moisture is forming rain or snow, releasing dormant heat. By the time the air reaches the peak it is very warm and dry. As the air makes its way down the mountain, it is compacted and it warms quickly all the way down the mountain side. There is a very small amount of water left to absorb the heat, so the air is warmer and drier when it reaches the bottom of the mountain than when it began.
Another wind is the mistral of France. The mistral is a cold, dry wind in France that blows down from the north toward the Mediterranean Sea. It may blow for many days at a time and gain wind velocities of about 60 miles per hour. It is strongest in the winter time which is worse because of the extremely cold weather.
Two more wind phenomenon is the sirocco of the Mediterranean and the Santa Ana winds of Los Angeles. The sirocco winds are warm and humid winds that hang over the Mediterranean Sea. They blow in from the south and bring extensive rain and some fog. The sirocco is created from low-pressure centres and travel eastward over the Mediterranean Sea. It begins over North Africa as a warm, dry wind and collects moisture as it makes it...