foehn

or föhn

[ feyn; German fœn ]

noun

1. a warm, dry wind descending a mountain, as on the north side of the Alps.

foehn

/ fɜːn; føːn /

noun

1. meteorol a variant spelling of föhn

foehn

/ fœn,fān /

1. A warm, dry, and often strong wind coming off the lee slopes of a mountain range, especially off the northern slopes of the Alps. A foehn is a katabatic wind that warms as it descends because it has dropped its moisture before crossing the mountain range and is put under greater atmospheric pressure as it moves downward. Various local names are also used for foehns (such as chinook in the Rocky Mountain regions). A foehn can cause sudden and dramatic increases in the temperature—from 10° to 20°C (50° to 68°F) in a few minutes—which can cause snow to melt rapidly and even trigger flooding.
2. See also chinook

Word History and Origins

Origin of foehn¹

1860–65; < German Föhn (originally in Alpine dialects), Middle High German foenne, Old High German phōnno < Vulgar Latin *faōnius, for Latin Favōnius Favonius

Example Sentences

The Diablo winds and Mono winds are also foehn winds, coming from the same direction.

From Los Angeles Times

The record high appears to be associated with a regional “foehn,” described as a rapid warming of air coming down a slope or mountain, Mr. Cerveny said.

From New York Times

"The main cause for the record-breaking temperatures at this particular site was from a foehn wind," he says.

From BBC

In fact, foehn events tend to be strongest during the colder seasons, she added.

From Scientific American

Now, a strong foehn wind blowing eastwards off the ice shelf in early September has pushed the southerly end of the iceberg out into the Weddell Gyre.

From BBC