Mistral (wind)

The winds of the Mediterranean
Tramontane Gregale Levante Sirocco Ostro Libeccio Ponente Mistral

The mistral (Catalan: mestral, Corsican: maestrale, Croatian: maestral, Greek: μαΐστρος, Italian: maestrale, Maltese: majjistral) is a strong, cold, northwesterly wind that blows from southern France into the Gulf of Lion in the northern Mediterranean.^[1] It produces sustained winds averaging 31 miles an hour (50 kilometres an hour), sometimes reaching 60 miles an hour (100 kilometres an hour). It can last for several days.^[2] Periods of the wind exceeding 30 km/h (19 mph; 8.3 m/s; 16 kn) for more than sixty-five hours have been reported.^[3]t is most common in the winter and spring, and strongest in the transition between the two seasons.

It affects the northeast of the plain of Languedoc and Provence to the east of Toulon, where it is felt as a strong west wind. It has a major influence all along the Mediterranean coast of France, and often causes sudden storms in the Mediterranean between Corsica and the Balearic Islands.^[4]

The name mistral comes from the Languedoc dialect of the Occitan and means "masterly". The same wind is called mistrau in the Provençal variant of Occitan, mestral in Catalan, maestrale in Italian and Corsican, maistràle or bentu maestru in Sardinian, and majjistral in Maltese.

The mistral is usually accompanied by clear, fresh weather, and it plays an important role in creating the climate of Provence. It can reach speeds of more than 90 km/h (56 mph; 25 m/s; 49 kn), particularly in the Rhône Valley. Its average speed during the day can reach about 50 km/h (31 mph; 14 m/s; 27 kn), calming noticeably at night. The mistral usually blows in winter or spring, though it occurs in all seasons. It sometimes lasts only one or two days, frequently lasts several days, and sometimes lasts more than a week.^[5]