mistral
mis-TRAHL
A cold, dry, powerful wind that blows from the northwest down the Rhône valley to the Mediterranean coast of France, mainly in winter and spring. It can sustain speeds of 60 miles per hour for days, dropping temperatures below freezing, stripping moisture from the soil, and sculpting the landscape — the windblown cypresses of Provence are shaped by the mistral.
Etymology
Provençal, from Latin magistralis, meaning "masterful." The wind that is the master. In the Rhône valley, houses are traditionally built facing south with their backs to the northwest, and orchards are planted behind thick hedges, all in deference to the mistral.
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