

At this time, the air at the valley floor is a lot warmer (low pressure) and forced to give way to colder air moving down the slope towards the valley floor. Mountain breeze is the wind that flows downhill, while valley. So the air at the upper slope of the mountain cools off very quickly and becomes dense. Mountain and valley breezes are two different winds that flow through mountain ranges and valleys. Planetary or primary winds, trade winds, Westerlies, periodic winds, local winds, monsoon, land, sea, mountain, and valley breeze are some of the several types of winds that might exist. What is a mountain breeze?Īt night, it is a lot cooler as the sun goes to sleep. This condition generates a breeze which we call Valley breeze, and it is common during warmer months when there is a lot of heating from the sun. Low pressure is created at the top of the mountain, and high pressure from the cooler air below forces a cool breeze to move upward. The warm air over the slopes reduces in density. In areas where there are mountains and valleys we see a type of wind pattern known as mountain breezes and valley breezes.

What is a valley breeze?ĭuring the day, air over the mountain slope heats up more than the air at the foot of the mountain. The daytime precipitation is enhanced around these regions that is, the valley breeze can activate the cumulus convection and precipitation due to the topography-lifting effect (e.g. Convection causes it to rise, causing a valley breeze. Around these high mountains, there are well-organized mountain and valley breeze circulations during nighttime and daytime as in Fig. During the day, the sun heats up mountain air rapidly while the valley remains relatively cooler. They also increase wildfire risk because of the dryness of the winds and the speed at which they can spread a flame across the landscape.In a similar behavior as land and sea breezes, mountains (hilly) and surrounding valleys also have breezes called Mountain and Valley Breezes. Mountain and valley breezes form through a process similar to sea and land breezes. These strong winds can cause major property damage. Santa Ana winds typically feel warm (or even hot) because as the cool desert air moves down the side of the mountain, it is compressed, which causes the temperature of the air to rise. These winds are most common during the cooler months of the year, occurring from September through May. Convection causes it to rise, causing a valley breeze. This creates dry winds that flow east to west through the mountain passages in Southern California. What are mountain and valley breezes and how are they created Mountain and valley breezes form through a process similar to sea and land breezes. The air flows downhill creating a mountain breeze. At night the mountain slope cools more than the air over the valley. The warm air rises and brings cool air up from below. flows westward towards low pressure located off the California coast. The air on a mountain slope warms more than the air over the nearby valley. Santa Ana Winds occur when air from a region of high pressure over the dry, desert region of the southwestern U.S. In addition, their dry conditions increase the risk of wildfires in the area. These winds can blow over 40 mph, and can occur in sudden gusts that are even stronger, which can make driving hazardous. These are common on the east side of the Rocky Mountains, called Chinook Winds. A valley breeze is a type of wind breeze in which the air from a valley moves up the side of a mountain, occurring for similar reasons as sea and land breezes. Downslope Winds occur when warm/dry air descends rapidly down a mountain side.
