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The air is particularly dry and desiccating when the
Harmattan blows over the region. The Harmattan brings desert-like weather conditions: it lowers the humidity, dissipates cloud cover, prevents rainfall formation and sometimes creates big clouds of dust which can result in
869:
Humidity can drop lower than 15%, which can result in spontaneous nosebleeds for some people. Other health effects on humans may include conditions of the skin (dryness of the skin), dried or chapped lips, eyes, and respiratory system, including aggravation of
954:(1919): "Knox writes of this wind : The Harmattan is experienced as a wind which blows, especially in the months of December, January, and February, from the NE. and is a hot wind in some localities and a cold wind in others, according to circumstances."
771:(ITCZ) stays over the Gulf of Guinea. On its passage over the Sahara, the Harmattan picks fine dust and sand particles (between 0.5 and 10 microns). It is also known as the "doctor wind", because of its invigorating dryness compared with humid tropical air.
858:. This effect is known as the Harmattan haze. It costs airlines millions of dollars in cancelled and diverted flights each year. When the haze is weak, the skies are clear. The extreme dryness of the air may cause branches of trees to die.
787:
of the day and night. Temperatures can easily be as low as 9 °C (48 °F) all day, but sometimes in the afternoon the temperature can also soar to as high as 30 °C (86 °F), while the
756:
language. The temperature is cold mostly at night in some places but can be very hot in certain places during daytime. Generally, temperature differences can also depend on local circumstances.
969:"Influence of cold–dry (harmattan) season on colonic temperature and the development of pulmonary hypertension in broiler chickens, and the modulating effect of ascorbic acid"
1220:
Adhvaryu, Achyuta; Bharadwaj, Prashant; Fenske, James; Nyshadham, Anant; Stanley, Richard (18 March 2024). "Dust and Death: Evidence from the West
African Harmattan".
866:
A 2024 study found that dust carried by the
Harmattan increases infant and child mortality, as well as has persistent adverse health impacts on surviving children.
854:
In some countries in West Africa, the heavy amount of dust in the air can severely limit visibility and block the sun for several days, comparable to a heavy
1033:
1136:
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that occurs between the end of
November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly
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1322:
1059:
709:
784:
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The
Harmattan blows during the dry season, which occurs during the months with the lowest sun. In this season, the
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768:
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1020:
At the southern fringe of the Sahara Desert, a special dry and hot wind, locally termed
Harmattan, occurs.
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910:
838:. The wind can increase fire risk and cause severe crop damage. The interaction of the Harmattan with
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because it is characterized by cold, dry, dust-laden wind, and also wide fluctuations in the
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drops under 5%. It can also be hot in some regions, like in the Sahara.
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1118:"Nigerian Civil Aviation warns pilots, airlines of Harmattan haze"
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Sivakumar, Mannava V. K.; Ndiang'ui, Ndegwa, eds. (2007).
855:
753:
555:
822:
Before and after comparison of harmattan in Abuja (2004)
995:
1371:
767:stays over the central Sahara and the low-pressure
1259:Anuforo, Emeka; Chukwu, Lilian (20 January 2015).
23:. For the Maemo release code-named Harmattan, see
1058:Terazono, Emiko; Blas, Javier (19 January 2012).
1472:
1199:(90). Boston: Charles Bowen: 213. January 1836.
1261:"Coping With Health Hazards of Harmattan Haze"
1316:
1258:
703:
1296:(11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
1093:. BBC News. 7 September 2007. Archived from
962:
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1323:
1309:
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696:
1204:
1161:
1134:
1032:Oladipupo, Akolade R (13 December 2014).
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1000:. Environmental Science and Engineering.
980:
957:
895:
747:
738:, of the same name, which blows from the
1280:
967:Minka, Ndazo Salka; Ayo, Joseph (2014).
966:
31:
1473:
1135:Valdmanis, Richard (8 February 2012).
1304:
1137:"Giant dust cloud chokes west Africa"
1162:Akinrefon, Dapo (16 December 2014).
1115:
13:
1128:
746:. The name is related to the word
14:
1517:
1274:
1164:"As harmattan finally hits Lagos"
1060:"Saharan wind stirs cocoa market"
849:
1374:
1116:Eze, Chinedu (15 January 2013).
815:
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679:
1252:
1213:
1181:
1155:
16:West African dry weather season
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989:
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769:Intertropical Convergence Zone
19:For the French publisher, see
1:
973:Open Access Animal Physiology
889:
1034:"Harmattan: Behold A Season"
998:Climate and Land Degradation
7:
1330:
877:
607:Severe weather terminology
69:Temperate and polar seasons
36:Harmattan haze surrounding
10:
1522:
1452:bezdorizhzhia / rasputitsa
774:
742:over West Africa into the
18:
1414:
1391:
1369:
1338:
1193:The North American Review
1139:. Reuters. Archived from
1006:10.1007/978-3-540-72438-4
861:
779:This season differs from
1496:Geography of West Africa
1293:Encyclopædia Britannica
1124:– via All Africa.
911:Encyclopædia Britannica
748:
668:Tropical cyclone terms
44:
275:Extratropical cyclone
199:Air-mass thunderstorm
38:Abuja National Mosque
35:
1491:Geography of Nigeria
1222:The Economic Journal
1044:on 12 February 2015.
805:Harmattan haze over
785:ambient temperatures
635:Weather modification
233:Anticyclonic tornado
1143:on 11 February 2012
1097:on 30 December 2007
982:10.2147/OAAP.S51741
952:Geographical Review
630:Weather forecasting
466:Rain and snow mixed
292:Subtropical cyclone
25:Maemo § Naming
1486:Geography of Ghana
1234:10.1093/ej/uead088
686:Weather portal
302:Atlantic hurricane
280:European windstorm
187:Volcanic lightning
148:Cumulonimbus cloud
45:
1468:
1467:
1340:Temperate seasons
1287:"Harmattan"
1265:Rivers State News
1189:"Arago on Comets"
789:relative humidity
761:subtropical ridge
720:
719:
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1443:Mud / breakup /
1393:Tropical seasons
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1228:(659): 885–912.
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842:winds can cause
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297:Tropical cyclone
209:Dry thunderstorm
104:Tropical seasons
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1284:, ed. (1911).
1282:Chisholm, Hugh
1276:
1275:External links
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1460:Rainy season
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1183:
1171:. Retrieved
1167:
1157:
1145:. Retrieved
1141:the original
1130:
1121:
1111:
1099:. Retrieved
1095:the original
1090:
1081:
1069:. Retrieved
1063:
1042:the original
1037:
1027:
1019:
997:
991:
972:
951:
947:
936:
927:
915:. Retrieved
909:
868:
865:
853:
828:
778:
758:
723:
721:
439:Diamond dust
363:Winter storm
194:Thunderstorm
115:
29:
933:"Harmattan"
906:"Harmattan"
832:dust storms
732:West Africa
653:Meteorology
588:Meteorology
476:Snow roller
471:Snow grains
434:Ice pellets
383:Snow squall
314:Storm surge
260:Anticyclone
216:Mesocyclone
204:Thundersnow
153:Arcus cloud
21:L'Harmattan
1475:Categories
1445:minoskamin
1427:Fog season
1406:Dry season
1401:Wet season
1173:11 October
1147:9 February
1071:28 January
1038:Leadership
890:References
836:sandstorms
736:trade wind
647:Glossaries
583:Jet stream
522:Convection
508:Atmosphere
456:Cloudburst
319:Dust storm
285:Nor'easter
255:Fire whirl
250:Dust devil
243:Waterspout
170:Heat burst
165:Microburst
123:Wet season
111:Dry season
1432:Harmattan
1101:8 October
844:tornadoes
807:Ho, Ghana
724:Harmattan
578:Heat wave
573:Cold wave
517:Chemistry
368:Ice storm
358:Firestorm
270:Polar low
238:Landspout
221:Supercell
182:Lightning
160:Downburst
116:Harmattan
50:Part of
1415:Specific
1246:38505244
1206:25103785
1168:Vanguard
1122:This Day
878:See also
749:haramata
449:Freezing
410:Freezing
373:Blizzard
52:a series
1501:Seasons
1332:Seasons
1091:Temoust
941:. 2012.
917:22 July
884:Khamsin
840:monsoon
775:Effects
752:in the
603:Extreme
549:Physics
539:Climate
527:Physics
417:Graupel
405:Drizzle
353:Sirocco
336:Monsoon
307:Typhoon
265:Cyclone
228:Tornado
175:Derecho
60:Weather
1363:Winter
1358:Autumn
1353:Summer
1348:Spring
1244:
1203:
1012:
872:asthma
862:Health
781:winter
740:Sahara
728:season
611:Canada
566:Season
496:Topics
341:Amihan
329:Haboob
324:Simoom
136:Storms
91:Autumn
86:Summer
81:Spring
76:Winter
1506:Winds
1201:JSTOR
975:: 1.
726:is a
616:Japan
544:Cloud
532:River
481:Slush
143:Cloud
42:Abuja
1481:Cold
1242:PMID
1175:2015
1149:2012
1103:2007
1073:2012
1010:ISBN
919:2015
722:The
598:List
561:Mist
461:Snow
444:Rain
422:Hail
348:Gale
1238:PMC
1230:doi
1226:134
1002:doi
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