Mistral, Bora, Meltemi: the local winds of the Mediterranean for sailors

In the Mediterranean the strong winds have names, for good reason: a name says more than a number. “NW 25 kn” will not tell a newcomer whether the wind blows for days, falls in gusts from the mountains or funnels through a strait. Here are the twelve local winds Sailseer recognises in the forecast, sorted by area.

Adriatic

Bora

Cold katabatic wind, usually from the north-east, that falls in gusts from the mountains of the eastern shore and often sets in suddenly. The gusts are frequently twice as strong as the mean wind and stronger than the models show. It blows hardest close under the coast near Trieste and in the Kvarner, while on the Italian coast it builds a high sea. More about the Bora.

Jugo

The Scirocco of the Adriatic, from the south-east, humid and hazy, often with rain and poor visibility. Over the whole length of the Adriatic it slowly builds a high, long sea and pushes water into the northern Adriatic, up to flooding in Venice. More about the Jugo.

Western Mediterranean

Tramontana

Cold, dry north-westerly to northerly wind through the gap in the Pyrenees, strongest at Cap de Creus and in the Gulf of Roses. It increases quickly away from the coast, and the sea builds rapidly. More about the Tramontana.

Mistral

Cold, dry katabatic wind down the Rhône valley, usually from the north-west to north, with clear visibility. It often blows for several days, with gusts well above the mean wind. Close inshore it is still calm, but further south offshore wind and waves build quickly. More about the Mistral.

Maestrale

The Mistral once it reaches Corsica and Sardinia, usually from the north-west. In the Strait of Bonifacio it is funnelled and strengthened, and there is a high, steep sea on the west coasts. More about the Maestrale.

Balearic Tramontana

Northerly wind, often an offshoot of the Mistral and the Tramontana. A high sea runs on the north coasts of Mallorca and Menorca, north-facing bays become untenable, and the south coasts offer shelter. More about the Balearic Tramontana.

Central Mediterranean

Libeccio

South-westerly with a long fetch over the open sea: high seas on the Ligurian and Tuscan coasts and on western Corsica. Harbours with entrances facing south-west become difficult. More about the Libeccio.

Gregale

North-easterly from the Ionian Sea that builds a high sea. It is feared in harbours and bays open to the north-east, for example on Malta and the east coast of Sicily. More about the Gregale.

Scirocco

Warm south-easterly from the Sahara, humid and hazy over the sea, often with dust and poor visibility. High seas build on south- and east-facing coasts, from the Tyrrhenian to the Ionian Sea. More about the Scirocco.

Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran Sea

Levante

Easterly wind, funnelled and strengthened in the Strait of Gibraltar: at Tarifa it often blows Bft 7 to 8 while further east the wind is moderate. The humid air brings low cloud over the Rock, and against the east-going current a short, steep sea builds. More about the Levante.

Poniente

Westerly wind, also strengthened in the Strait of Gibraltar and often lasting several days in the Alboran Sea. More about the Poniente.

Aegean

Meltemi

Summer northerly of the Aegean under clear skies, from May to September, strongest in the afternoon and often lasting for days. Behind high islands there are downdraughts, between the islands acceleration zones and a short, steep sea. More about the Meltemi.

How Sailseer recognises local winds

The weather models include these winds, but without names. So for every leg in the Mediterranean, Sailseer checks whether its midpoint lies in the rough area of a wind and compares the models' consensus hours with that wind's direction sector and threshold. If the model median reaches the threshold (15 to 18 kn depending on the wind) from the matching sector in at least one hour, Sailseer calls the wind by its name. It only counts the Meltemi from May to September.

The route recommendation then puts the name in the headline, for example “watch out for the Bora”, together with a finding that gives direction, strength and what the wind means for you. The departure rating drops, more clearly from 25 kn of mean wind. The point analysis adds a sentence such as “Bora situation (ENE up to 26 kn)”. On inland lakes, Sailseer does not name any of the sea's local winds. Every wind page also shows the countries and harbours within that wind's area.

What it means for your planning

• With the Bora, Mistral and Tramontana, look at the gusts, not just the mean wind, and reef early.
• Check harbours and anchorages for exposure: the Gregale makes harbours open to the north-east difficult, the Libeccio those open to the south-west.
• With the Meltemi, expect the strongest wind in the afternoon and schedule long passages for the morning.
• A high, long sea after a Jugo or Scirocco keeps running even when the wind is already easing.

The descriptions cover the typical situation; they are not a warning service. The official sources are the marine forecast and the national warnings, for example from Météo-France, the Croatian DHMZ or the Greek HNMS; Sailseer shows both for your route. How to turn this into a good time window is covered in the guide Weather window, and there is more on downdraughts in the guide Gusts and thunderstorms. You can start planning straight away on the map.