Foehn wind means "hairdryer," and the form "phon" is used in French-speaking parts of Switzerland as well as in Italy. The form "fen" is used in Croatia and Slovenia. Regionally, these winds are known by many different names. These include: Foehn wind A föhn or foehn (, ) is a type of dry, warm, down-slope wind that occurs in the lee (downwind side) of a mountain range. It is a rain shadow wind that results from the subsequent adiabatic warming of air that has dropped most of its moisture on windward slopes ("see" orographic lift). As a consequence of the different adiabatic
Weather and climate Weather and climate There is often confusion between weather and climate. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular place over a short period of time, whereas climate refers to the weather pattern, using statistical data, of a place over a long enough period to yield meaningful averages. Meteorology studies weather, while climatology studies climate; both are atmospheric sciences. Climate is an important physical element because it indicates the atmospheric condition of heat, moisture and circulation; it plays a dominant role in shaping vegetation and soil; and it ultimately affects all forms of life, as a result of