HARMATTAN : Extreme Weather in Ghana!!!

  Ghana, the beautiful country on the West Coast of Africa has a tropical climate.  Out of the 365 days of the year, it is mostly hot and dry.   Besides the hot temperature and humidity, the country experiences also rainy seasons, which if they last quite long can cause flooding.  And I have addressed the topic of flooding in my previous blog.  Another extreme weather that I have not mentioned about Ghana yet is Harmattan.  You probably never heard of this word.  Well, guess what?  That is my assignment to enlighten you.  Harmattan is an extreme weather that takes place on the West Coast of Africa around December through late February/early March.  It is a dry, dusty wind that blows from the Sahara.  Most of the times, people are happy about the change Harmattan brings with it.  Well, it dims the heat and provides a much cooler breeze.  Nevertheless, it can be rusty at times when it looks like the whole country is enveloped in fog that we see here on the Bay in the morning.  The only difference is that it is not fog but the dust the wind brings from the desert and affects the northern region of the country more than the city.   With this type, you must have a serious lip balm with you at all times or your lips will be chapped and could easily bleed; you also will need a nasal decongestant since it is so dry and finally a moisturizing lotion.  The locals always recommend Shea butter to relieve the dryness in the air.  Personally, I prefer the sunny, humid weather than Harmattan even though the latter is cooler.  But as with anything don't just take my word for it.  Feel free to take an adventure in December to see if you are more acclimated to that type of weather.