The onset of the Harmattan winds

The Harmattan has arrived with a vengeance this year. The Harmattan is a dry and dusty West African trade wind. It blows south from the Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March. On its passage over the desert it picks up fine dust particles and duly deposits them all across the land. the dust is so fine that it enters every nook and cranny.
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 fog. The effect caused by the dust and sand stirred by these winds is known as the Harmattan haze.
In Niger, people say that men and animals become increasingly irritable when this wind has been blowing for a while, giving it a bad reputation. However, the cool wind brings relief from the oppressive heat, which is why the Harmattan has earned the nickname "The Doctor".
It hit us here in Tamale on the 16th and has blown relentlessly and incessantly ever since. The fine dust covering everyting like a skin and leaving many sneezing and sniffing. The flu and common cold are all around us. The air is crisp and dry requiring many to use creams and lotions to keep the skin from drying and chaffing. the smell of dust in ones nostrils and the taste of dust in ones mouth are constant companions and whether one likes it or not one better get used to it for its here to stay... for the next four months at least!