An ill wind
If youre feeling unusually blue or grumpy, check which way the wind is blowing. For it may be that you have fallen foul of Zakopanes mysterious Foehn. The Foehn is the name for a dry wind that blows downhill, bringing with it rain and raising temperatures so that snow melts quickly. The practical effects of the Foehn are obvious especially if youre climbing in the mountains which then become very dangerous. But this wind has also been blamed for other, otherwise inexplicable happenings. Nobody has yet been able to prove a link between the Foehn and human behaviour. But two scientists in the 19th century discovered that migraine, depression, heart and breathing problems and even psychosis increased with the coming of the Foehn. Some believe that the number of suicides and accidents also increase at this time, by up to ten per cent.
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That Foehn or strong gust of wind which is so particular at Zakopane, is named here " HALNY ".That wind can last for few days and nobody not even the best weather prognosis can plan when it will start blowing, and when it will stop.It can happened at any season of the year.The maximum gust of wind speed is about 150km/h.So, if you are hiking in the mountain, it is safer to stay the maximum indoor(of a shelter).About the responsibility of that wind on suicide, manslaughter, violence..., it has not been proved scientifically(as scientist gets also ill).But I can tell you that when that " Halny "start, the ambulance are driving all around Zakopane day and night for few days. That wind is responsible for snowmelting in winter season.
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