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Middle East Winds
Thu Jun 02, 2005
Listen in RealAudio 
Hi, I'm Bryan Yeaton for The Weather Notebook. As winds of war blow across the
Middle East, our attention has often been focused on the winds of weather that have
played an important role in the conflict.
Wind is a major force in Middle East weather which has a strong monsoon character.
"Monsoon" originally referred to changes in seasonal wind patterns and derives from
the Arabic word "mausim," simply meaning "season." During the summer monsoon,
winds generally blow toward the hot interior of the Arabian Peninsula.
For example, the north/northwesterly "Bad-I-Sad-O-Bist-Roz" wind blows into Iran in
June and persists for as long as a 120 consecutive days.
Some Middle East winds stir large, disrupting sand and duststorms. In fact, the alluvial
plains of Iraq and Kuwait have the highest duststorm frequency in the Middle
East.
Hot, dry desert winds have been given special names across the Middle East. For
example, in the summer monsoon, the northwesterly Shamal blows over Iraq and into
the Persian Gulf. The Egyptian Khamsin wind literally means "lasting 50
days."
The Sirocco, an Arab word for "Easterly," is a hot, dry, dusty desert wind blowing across
the region and often into Europe. It is also known as the Sharkiye in Jordan, Sharav in
Israel, and Simoom in Arabia. The dusty Seistan north wind in eastern Iran can reach
hurricane force.
Not all Middle East winds are unwelcomed. A west wind of Arabia named the Laawan,
"the helper," assists farmers in winnowing their grain.
Thanks to our contributing writer, meteorologist Keith Heidorn. Our show is
underwritten by Subaru of America and The National Science Foundation.
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