Air Mass

In Ticino, Switzerland, the annual air mass remains fairly constant. The winds come mainly from the west, in which there is a mP (maritime-polar) air mass coming through, leaving conditions cold and humid. Frequently in the springtime, Foehn winds develop on the northern side of the Swiss Alps, leaving that "lee side" dry and warm  for Central Europeans to enjoy. However, on rare occasions, the winds may blow from the north to the south, and Foehn winds may be found in Ticino.

 

Shown above is the process by which the Swiss Alps block the cold, moist air from one side, and through adiabatic warming, leaves the lee-side warm and dry.

Licensing and source information of this photo can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Foehn1.png 

This photo is a great depiction of Foehn clouds developed over Geneva, Switzerland.

This photo was taken on June 14, 2008 by a man named Fabi. I found this source via the following link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Foehn_Wind_edit.jpg

Ticino experiences mid-latitude cyclones, and therefore sees both cold fronts as well as cold occlusions. Warm fronts do occur however, but not as frequently. The cold fronts occur when pressure decreases and winds come in from the south. Ticino receives a drop in temperature and a drop in dew point once the cold front hits the area.

http://www.eurometeo.com/english/maps


The charts seen both above and below show a broad 48-hour forecast for the European region. If you look closely, you can see that Ticino will be affected by mild cold occlusions over the weekend.

 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2659869