The Tatra Mountains, Tatras or Tatra, are a mountain range which forms a natural border between Slovakia and Poland, and are the highest mountain range in the Carpathian Mountains. Tatras occupy an area of 750 km² (290 mi²), of which the greater part (600 km²/232 mi²) lies in Slovakia, with the highest peak Gerlach at 2,655 m (8710 ft), located north of Poprad. In turn, summit Rysy (2,499 m/8200 ft), located in the north-western part of Tatras, is the highest mountain in Poland.
The Tatras lie in the temperate zone of Central Europe. They are an important barrier to the movements of air masses. Their mountainous topography causes one of the most diverse climates in that region.
- Winds
The average wind speed on the summits is 6 m/s.
- southerly winds on the northern side
- westerly winds at the base of Tatra (Orawa-Nowy Targ Basin)
- foehn winds (Polish: halny) most often occur between October and May. They are warm and dry and can cause extensive damage.
- Maximum wind speed 288 km/h (6 May 1968).
On 19 November 2004, large parts of the forests in the southern Slovak part of the High Tatras were damaged by a strong wind storm. Three million cubic metres of trees were uprooted, two people died and several villages were totally cut off. Further damage was done by a subsequent forest fire, and it will take many years until the local ecology is fully recovered.