(Literally, mountain wind. ) A hot, dry, squally wind blowing off the interior plateau of South Africa, roughly at right angles to the coast; a type of foehn. Berg winds blow mainly in winter, when a strong anticyclone occupies the interior plateau, producing outflow across the coastal regions of South Africa. They are especially frequent and noticeable on the cool west coast, where they set in suddenly during the morning, bring a temperature rise of 15°–20°C, giving maxima of 22°–35°C, and cause the relative humidity to fall from nearly 100% to 30% or less. Here, on days when the sea breeze sets in about noon, the temperature drops by 10°–16°C even more suddenly than it had risen at the onset of the berg wind. Berg wind episodes may last two to three days, causing uncomfortable weather for people and damage to crops. At Port Nolloth in southwest Africa, berg winds occur on an average of 48 days a year, June and July having nine each and the whole summer half-year (October through March) a total of only six. See hot wind; compare mountain wind.