The nortada is a summer north or north-westerly wind that blows regularly along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula, especially in Portugal and Galicia, between June and September. It is driven by the strengthening of the Azores High and the thermal low forming over the heated Iberian plateau.
Coastal upwelling
The nortada drives winds that generate coastal upwelling, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. This explains why Iberian Atlantic waters are significantly cooler than Mediterranean ones in summer (14–18 °C vs. 24–28 °C). The phenomenon is key to the region's fishing productivity.