Mediterranean winds
The winds of the Mediterranean
Each wind carries a name, a direction and a character. Knowing them means anticipating the weather before you even look at the detail.
The Mediterranean wind rose
| Wind | Comes from | Character / weather |
|---|---|---|
| Tramontane | NW | strong, dry, clear sky (west of the gulf) |
| Mistral | N to NW | strong, dry, gusty (Rhône valley) |
| Grec / Gregale | NE | fresh, built-up sea |
| Levant | E | damp, wind sea, possible haze/rain |
| Sirocco / Marin | SE | warm, damp, low cloud, reduced visibility |
| Libeccio | SW | strong, big sea (Gulf of Genoa, Corsica) |
| Ponant | W | westerly wind, often on the back of a system |
Northerly vs southerly winds
Broadly speaking:
- Northerly winds (mistral, tramontane) are dry and clear but strong, and raise a short, steep sea.
- Southerly / south-easterly winds (marin, sirocco, levant) are damp, bring cloud, haze and rain, and push the sea onto the coast (watch out for lee-shore landfalls).
Tip: in the Mediterranean, the name of the wind often foretells the weather. "The marin is setting in" = expect greyness, humidity and a sea building from the south-east.
Example
A shift from mistral (NW, dry) to marin (SE, damp) in 24 h: you go from a blue, windy sky to overcast, muggy weather, with a sea that changes orientation. The effective shelters change side too.
And the local breezes
In calm, sunny weather, these regional winds give way to coastal thermal breezes — more modest, but well worth using in the afternoon.