A dry, hot wind, prevailing on the Atlantic coast of Africa, in December, January, and February, blowing from the interior or Sahara. It is usually accompanied by a haze which obscures the sun.
(Saharan) Dry dusty wind from Sahara that blows towards the West African coast
A very dry North-East wind prevalent in West Africa during the dry season (November to March) carrying with it great quantities of dust from the Sahara.
(Also spelled harmatan, harmetan, hermitan.) A dry, dust-bearing wind from the northeast or east that blows in West Africa especially from late November until mid-March. It originates in the Sahara as a desert wind and extends southward to about 5°N in January and 18°N in July. It is associated with the high pressure area that lies over the northwest Sahara in winter and the adjoining part of the Atlantic in other seasons. In summer the cooler onshore southwest monsoon undercuts it, but the harmattan continues to blow at a height of about 2 km (3000–6000 ft) and sometimes deposits dust on ships at sea. This conflict of winds causes the so-called West African tornadoes. See doctor.
a dusty wind from the Sahara that blows toward the western coast of Africa during the winter
(pronounced har-ma-TAHN)a mild, dry, and dusty wind that originates in the Sahara Desert.
a hot, dry, and dusty northeasterly or easterly wind that occurs in West Africa north of the equator and is caused by the outflow of air from subtropical high pressure areas.
cold, dry northeastern wind, which blows from October-February and brings dusty storms to the Sahara
The dry, dusty trade wind blowing off the Sahara Desert across the Gulf of Guinea and the Cape Verde Islands. Sometimes called the DOCTOR, because of its supposed healthful properties.
The Harmattan is a dry and dusty wind blowing south off the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between November and March (winter). It is considered a Natural Hazard.
