bise

A cold, dry wind from the first quadrant (N-NE) that blows in Switzerland, preferentially in winter. It does so impetuously on the Swiss plateau and Lake Geneva, affecting the city of Geneva. It frequently reaches gusts of 30 to 40 km/h, although occasionally maximum intensities can approach or even exceed 100 km/h, blowing very violently. Occasionally, the bise breaks in with very unsettled weather, with cloudy skies, rain, and storms, in which case it is called bise noir (black bise).