The bise, the ill wind unique to Switzerland
When a cold, dry wind sweeps through the Swiss plateau, many people complain of headaches and other physical ailments. You will then often hear them curse the bise, a wind that exists only in Switzerland.
Southern France has the mistral, Croatia and northern Italy have the bora, Spain and France have the tramontana. “There are loads of different wind systems around the world, which often have country-specific names,” says meteorologist Sabine Balmer from SRF Meteo.
In Southern California, the Santa Ana winds made headlines at the start of the year for fanning the devastating fires around Los Angeles, in which dozens of people died and more than 12,000 homes were destroyed.
Switzerland also has its own wind: the bise (pronounced “beez”, as in breeze). It’s a peculiarity because it is specific to the topographical and meteorological constellations of the Central PlateauExternal link, which becomes increasingly narrow towards the west.
Specifically Swiss
Normally the wind in Switzerland blows from west to east. For the bise to develop, there needs to be an area of high pressure over the northern part of Central or Northern Europe and an area of low pressure over the Mediterranean. This difference in pressure leads to a wind from the east to north-east, which blows towards the west.
A bise can occur at any time of year. If it occurs in summer, it brings with it “dry air and temperatures that generally reflect the time of year”, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss writesExternal link.
“In the winter months, the bise often brings high fog to the Central Plateau, as the cold air collects in the ‘bathtub’ of the Central Plateau,” says Balmer.
“The special thing about the bise is that it makes ideal use of the ‘channel’ between the Jura and the Alps and can’t move northwards or southwards,” says Balmer. “It also often picks up speed in the west, as the distance between the mountains is smaller there.”
The bise, which enters Switzerland via Lake Constance, can reach speeds of 100km/h in the region around Lake Geneva.
These strong winds and the associated turbulence pose a particular threat to air traffic in western Switzerland, MeteoSwiss said in an overview paperExternal link on typical weather conditions in the Alps.
Traffic disruptions
On the roads, the bise can lead to traffic disruptions due to fallen trees and branches. Overhead railway lines can be damaged and cause delays.
Caution is also advised on the lakes of western Switzerland in these weather conditions, as the wind can lead to heavy swell, particularly on Lake Geneva or Lake Neuchâtel. Smaller lakes may also freeze over more quickly.
In spring and autumn, the bise can also cause frost damage to crops such as vines and fruit trees.
According to SRF MeteoExternal link, one positive aspect is that the bise can improve air quality by removing pollutants from the Central Plateau.
It has also found its way into the local vocabulary: in Bernese German “wi ds Bisewätter” means “as fast as lightning” – just as fast as the bise sometimes blows through Switzerland and triggers headaches for some people.
Bad for your health
“Among other things, I react to the bise and fog with headaches, balance problems, vision problems with flashes of light, nausea and dizziness,” a 61-year-old man told the St. Galler Tagblatt newspaperExternal link a few years ago.
Fortunately, only very few people suffer that badly. But because the bise is often associated with a sudden drop in temperature, people who are sensitive to the weather often complain of minor ailments when it blows through the country.
Patients are particularly likely to complain of discomfort in stormy weather, and when it’s cold, damp and raining.
“However, it’s not known whether certain weather situations and factors trigger specific complaints,” a preventive physician told the Migros health magazineExternal link Impuls.
Frozen lakes
If the bise blows in winter, it can lead to a cold spell, which can disrupt the transport and energy sectors in particular.
The last such weather event was recorded in February 2012. Temperatures well below freezing led to an increased demand for energy and to icy roads and snow drifts.
According to the St. Galler TagblattExternal link, extreme sub-zero temperatures were also recorded in 1963 and 1986. In 1963, Lake Constance experienced the so-called “Seegfrörni”: the entire lake froze over and school classes went ice skating.
Even more extreme, however, was the cold spell in February 1956, also triggered by the bise. “The average monthly temperature of this exceptional February was -9°C. This is a record cold temperature in the 269-year series of measurements since 1755,” according to SRF NewsExternal link.
Edited by Balz Rigendinger. Adapted from German by Thomas Stephens
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