Karakkaze
Karakkaze refers to a kind of strong, dry wind that occurs in the Kantō region of Japan.
Overview
Karakkaze is formed when wind gusts cross atop the mountains in the Jōetsu region and experience a drop in both temperature and atmospheric pressure. Water vapor in the air falls as rain or snow on the mountain, so the wind that then crosses over the mountain becomes dry.Gunma Prefecture is famous for its karakkaze in winter. Other names include Jōmō Karakkaze and Akagi Oroshi. In Jomo Karuta, karakkaze is featured on the 'ra' card.
Besides Gunma, Nasunohara in Tochigi Prefecture and Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture both are famous for karakkaze; there it is called Nasu and Enshu Karakkaze respectively.
Effects
A phenomenon known as foehn wind suppresses cooling, which creates less snowfall in the surrounding area. This also creates a strong wind chill due to the strength of the winds.Minor inconveniences caused by karakkaze include:
- interrupting outdoor sporting matches
- drying out skin
- annoying locals
- blowing laundry off balconies
During the 1970s, residents in Ōta, Gunma complained that karakkaze was blowing up dust from the potato fields and spreading it throughout the city. They claimed the wind blew dust into their houses and prevented them from drying their laundry.
In February, 2021 a wildfire broke out in Ashikaga, Tochigi. The fire burned for nine consecutive days. In combination with an accumulation of dried leaves and debris, karakkaze made it difficult for helicopters to fly properly, delaying the fire department from being able to stop the blaze sooner.