A cold, gusty, northeasterly katabatic wind that plunges from the mountains of the Dinaric Alps down toward the Adriatic Sea, most notoriously along the coasts of Croatia, Slovenia and Trieste, forming when cold continental air pools behind the mountains and spills over and down the seaward slopes under its own weight. Bora gusts have exceeded 200 kilometers per hour in the most extreme recorded events, strong enough to overturn vehicles and close coastal roads and bridges for days at a time.
Facts
PeriodicityThe longest recorded episode of constant intense bora winds lasted 67 to 68 hours in Dalmatia. 2 ScaleGusts have reached a record 248 km/h (69 m/s) on the Maslenica Bridge in December 1998. 2 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceA cold downslope wind that stays cold despite compressional warming as it descends the lee slope of a mountain range. 1 Connections
Associated With
The Bora of the Adriatic coast is a classic, frequently cited example of a katabatic wind, formed by cold dense air draining downslope under gravity from an elevated plateau.
Sources
1. NWS Glossary, entry BORA
Glossary entry BORAQuote, Glossary entry BORA
A regional downslope wind whose source is so cold that it is experienced as a cold wind, despite compression warming as it descends the lee slope of a mountain range.
2. Bora (wind), Wikipedia
Areas affected section
The maximum duration of constant intense bura winds has been measured at 67-68 hours in Dalmatia.
Areas affected section [scale]
On 21 December 1998 the speed of a gust on the Maslenica Bridge (north of Zadar) was measured at a record speed of 69 m/s or 248 km/h.
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