Harmattan Is From Manhattan

What Is Your Harmattan Situation?

An argument of how similar the harmattan season in Nigeria is to the Winter in Alaska was quite a catch amongst the University of Jos students. Which went from a serious exchange to a downright hysterical stop when one of them said: “Harmattan is from Manhattan because they both sound alike”. Indeed, this broke the squabbles.

Harmattan is a season in West Africa which occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeastern trade wind, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the Gulf of Guinea. The name is related to the word haramata in the Twi language. The temperature is cold in most places, but can also be hot in certain places, depending on local circumstances.

This season differs from winter, because it is characterized by cold, dry, dust-laden wind, and also wide fluctuations in the ambient temperatures 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 relative humidity drops under 5%. It can also be hot in some regions. In Jos, Plateau State, it can become so cold in the morning, sunny by mid-day and back to a chilling cold at supper.

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 sandstorms. The wind can increase fire risk and cause severe crop damage. The interaction of the Harmattan with monsoon winds can cause tornadoes.

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Humidity drops to as low as 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 asthma.

Things to do in Harmattan season:

–      Stay hydrated, drinking lots of water and fruits containing vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin B. Lemons, ginger and oranges are your go to fruits.

–      Wear adjustable outfits in case of fluctuations, well suited for these switches during the day/night. Cotton wears and easy fits are you go to outfits.

–      Moisturize regularly and keep the lips moist with lotions that have essential oils infused in them. Hand creams, lip balms, petroleum jelly are your go to lotions.

–      Be careful with fires, as sparks are always flying. Keep lighters away from children.

–      Avoid dusty areas, use sunglasses and face masks when need arise. (Always have your inhalers handy)

–      Avoid touching your face, one of the covid-19/ corona virus lessons and wash your hands regularly.

–      Wear protective hairstyles, frequently steam hair to stop dryness and breakage. Leave-in-conditioners, essential oils are your go to hair food.

Our man from Manhattan wasn’t far from the point, don’t let harmattan turn you into a winter man from Manhattan. Stay prepared, stay moisturized, and embrace the unique charm of this distinctive West African season.