foehn

A variant of the German term föhn which, like it, gives its name to a well-known effect widely studied in Meteorology, as well as to the associated superheated, dry, and turbulent katabatic wind. The first satisfactory scientific explanation of the phenomenon dates back to 1866 and was due to the Austrian meteorologist Julius von Hann (1839-1921), who studied it in detail in the Alps. Until that point, the mistaken belief prevailed that its origin was Saharan. The foehn is not exclusive to the Alpine region, also occurring in many other mountainous regions of the world. Depending on the place, it receives different local names, such as poniente (Spanish Mediterranean coast), chinook (Rocky Mountains), zonda (Argentina), or Canterbury North­ western (New Zealand), among others.