Efect Foehn

The effect knowed as Foehn is basically the difficulty of the air flows that, on having hit with a zone of relief, as mountains, chains or another obstacle, tries to avoid them, on one hand it surrounds the abrupción, but for other one sees in the obligation to ascend originating, hereby, the process of condensation or sublimation known. It is curious enough the contrasts which it offer us, since the step can manage to be completely opposite across of the obstacle, can be that in the slope of windward it rains, since it is the one that more is exposed to the winds, and that in that of lee, very on the contrary, it is a day of the Sun and completely clear, with minor dampness, on having been more protected.

All this is quite surprising, since the air that descends from the mountains is of dry and hot nature, unlike what generally we are in the habit of thinking on having seen the mountains with very low, and even covered with snow temperatures.

 For example in islands as Tenerife, there is a great difference of colors (green humid (north) part, yellowish drier (south) part), owed principally to the effect Foehn, which does that in a few kilometres there are climatic such significant differences.

In the Islands there are many microclimates, depending the zone in which we are, and even inside the own Islands. The predominant wind they are the trade winds, which come always from the north, giving by the Anticyclone of the Azores, for what on having come to Canaries it comes loaded from the water steam that he is gathering in his way and meeting the high beaks and mountains of Canaries, (Example: Teide, 3.718m), for what in islands as Tenerife, it is the north zone the suitable one for all kinds of vegetation due to such a big dampness of these winds.

In the flattest islands the effect is not obvious so much since there are no big mountains to which be necessary to draw lots, on the other hand takes place very much in the rest of Islands.

 It is very curious the sea of clouds that is in the habit of placing about the mountains, in which in many places you can be in some higher mountain, from which it seems that you are in the sky.