What is mistral wind?

Answer 1

The mistral is the name of a local, downslope wind which blows in the Provence region, in France. The mistral is more precisely a cold, dry wind which accelerates by the Venturi effect, as the wind passes through the Rhône Valley between the Alps mountains and the Cevennes mountains and dries out brutally as the wind descends the valley. The mistral usually blows from north. The mistral is a katabatic wind, which usually brings clear skies and sunny weather to the Provence. This strong wind, that usually blows at very high speeds, sometimes at more than 100 km/h helps to explain the unusually sunny and dry climate of the Provence (2 700 to 2 900 hours of sunshine per year), compared with the rest of the France and even the entire Europe. The mistral is well-known for his good health benefit since the dry wind also blow the dust and the air pollution away, which makes the air especially clear. The mistral blows regulary, and is largely responsible of the dryness of the Provence, in the seasons outside the summer. The mistral has the same characteristics as another cold, dry wind which also blows in France near the Provence, the tramontane, which generally blows from northwest. The weather may be cloudy and even rain when the mistral blows but this is very rate. The mistral usually takes place when the air flow is cold and from the north or even better if there is a cold front, which comes from north/northwest.