Harmattan

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/harmattan

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the primary wind type?Dry, northeasterly trade wind originating from the Sahara Desert
2. What is the seasonal occurrence?Late November to mid-March
3. When does the Harmattan happen?It occurs each year from late November to mid-March.
4. Why is it called the "doctor wind"?Because the dry air can feel refreshing and may help keep some germs and insects from growing.

Trade Winds: Persistent, directional winds that blow from subtropical high-pressure belts towards the equatorial low-pressure belt.
Subtropical Ridge: A semi-permanent belt of high atmospheric pressure found near the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ): A global belt of low pressure and convective rainfall near the Earth's equator, characterized by the convergence of trade winds.
Diurnal Temperature Variation: The difference between the maximum and minimum air temperatures over a 24-hour period.