How to Travel When the Harmattan Blows — Epoche A2
How to travel in harmattan season From late November to about March, a dry wind called the harmattan blows across West Africa. It comes off the Sahara and carries fine dust, so the sky turns grey-brown, the sun looks pale, and the nights in the north become surprisingly cold. When the dust is thick, planes cannot land safely. If you plan a journey in Nigeria in December or January, plan for the harmattan. Check your flight that same morning. In Kano and Kaduna the haze is often worst early in the day, so a morning plane waits more often than an afternoon one. Leave one free day between your flight and any important event. In this season, "the plane will come tomorrow" is a normal sentence. Pack for two seasons in one bag: light clothes for the warm afternoon and a jacket for the night, because harmattan nights in the north are the coldest of the year. Carry lip balm or a small pot of oil. The air is very dry, and lips and skin crack within a day or two. Drink water often, even when you do not feel hot. Cover food and drinks. The dust settles on everything, indoors too. The harmattan has a good side too: no rain, no mud, and the best sleeping weather of the year. Just promise nobody an exact arrival time.