Foehn valley

As Föhntal be in Switzerland and Austria in the Alpine ridge valleys north referred to by their north-south orientation particularly strong influences of Alpenföhns exposed that builds up when the wind direction is usually from south to southwest.

Foehn valleys have a significantly higher temperature (up to 10 ° C) than their surroundings on foehn days (approx. 20 per year). In the case of foehn, the cloudiness decreases and the duration of sunshine increases. The snow melts faster, which extends the growing season. Although there are, of course, far more "normal" days than foehn days, the long-term average temperatures can be up to 3 ° C above those of the neighboring valleys. Cultures such as maize, grapevines and palm trees thrive in the Foehn valleys.

The foehn often reaches storm strength in Foehn valleys and causes corresponding damage to buildings and cultures. The dry and hot air also increases the risk of fire: the city of Glarus, for example, has been destroyed four times and the Uri capital Altdorf three times by conflagrations sparked by the foehn storm.

Föhn valleys are popular with hikers, as the beautiful weather and clear visibility persist there when it is foehn, while it is already raining all around.

Typical Alpine Föhntal valleys are (from west to east):

• the Rhone Valley from Martigny to Lake Geneva.
• the Saane valley
• the Simplon north ramp
• the Haslital
• the Sarneraatal and Engelbergertal
• the Urner Reuss Valley and the Urnersee
• the Linth valley in the canton of Glarus
• the Domleschg between Thusis and Bonaduz
• the Lenzerheide to Chur
• the Oberhalbstein from Savognin to Tiefencastel
• the Albula from Bergün to Filisur
• the Rhine Valley on the Swiss-Liechtenstein-Austrian border
• the Brandnertal
• the Kleinwalsertal
• the Wipptal
• the Zillertal
• the Inn Valley
• the Salzach valley and the southern side valleys, the Tauern valleys
• the Trauntal ( Salzkammergut )

Web links

• The hair dryer on the Meteo Switzerland website

reference

1. ↑ Patrick Hächler, Max Schüepp: The Föhn in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley and in the neighboring regions (PDF)