Fauna and flora of the Medes Islands
9 June, 2023
These are the types of winds that predominate in the Mediterranean Sea:
- Tramontana: The Tramontana wind is one of the most predominant winds in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a cold and strong wind from the north and northeast. It usually blows more in the Balearic Islands and the northeast of Catalonia. It is a dangerous wind, as it can reach gusts of up to 200 km/h. It is a wind that occurs in winter and can last for several days.
- LEVANTE: It is a humid wind that brings clouds and rain to the Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula, it comes from the central Mediterranean and reaches its maximum speed when it passes through the Strait of Gibraltar. Its intensity can be very high, preventing ships from leaving the ports of Ceuta, Tarifa, Algeciras and Tangier. It is characterised by being a warm, dry wind and one of the most dangerous in the Mediterranean.
- GARBÍ: This wind arises due to the divergence of temperatures between the sea and the land, which is why it usually appears during spring and summer, causing warm and dry air masses to move from the desert towards the southeast of Spain. It is a wind that brings a lot of sand and dust and blows from the southwest in the east and southeast of Spain.
- MISTRAL: The Mistral wind is a type of cold, dry and turbulent wind, which can reach 100 km/h and exceed 75 knots, i.e. 140 km/h. It usually appears from November to April and lasts between 3 and 6 days. It is a wind that blows from the coasts of the Mediterranean, towards the sea, between the mouth of the Ebro and Genoa.
- GREGAL: It is a cold and dry wind, when there is a squall in Algeria, the wind brings strong waves and swell. It is a north-easterly wind and is characteristic of the Balearic Islands archipelago. It is present in the central Mediterranean off the coasts of Sicily, Malta and the Ionian Sea.
- SIROCO: This is a fairly dry and intense wind, coming from the southeast Mediterranean, located in Almería and extending as far as Africa. It reaches hurricane speeds in North Africa and southern Europe. It is a wind that creates low visibility on the coasts. It reaches gusts of up to 40-50 knots and causes very high temperatures that can reach over 40 degrees, as it is a wind that comes from the Sahara, which is why it also tends to bring reddish dust.
- PONIENTE: This is a very intense wind in the Atlantic, especially in Galicia, the Gulf of Cadiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. It is also known as the Vendaval wind. It is characterised by the Foehn or Föhn effect, which is an effect that increases the temperature and decreases the humidity as it advances.
- BORA: It is a wind that blows from the north and northeast, in the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, Italy, Greece, Slovenia and Turkey. It is a cold, dry wind that blows in gusts and is very frequent in winter.
- MELTEMI: Es un viento seco y fuerte, que afecta a las costas del mar Egeo en Grecia. Procede del norte y sopla de mayo a septiembre. Es un viento peligroso para los navegantes, ya que aparece con tiempo despejado, sin previo aviso, y puede alcanzar hasta 7-8 en la escala de Beaufort.
