Ghana’s landscape, masked by dust. For the past week a thick haze has hung over much of the country strong enough to block out even the midday sun. The smog isn’t caused by pollution but by a seasonal wind known as The Harmattan.
“The Harmattan is seasonal weather which affects West African countries during the northern hemisphere’s winter. It’s a condition which dus ty, dry winds are blown from the Sahara desert towards the West African region.” Said James Dudu, Meterologist, Ghana Meteorological Association
The thickness of the haze varies in intensity over the wind’s 3 month season. The bright pink patch on the meteorologist’s map software shows a thick dust cloud over Niger. The winds then drive it south towards coastal West Africa. Seasonal variations mean the dust cloud is sometimes thicker which can cause real problems.
“Some flights have to be cancelled, grounded or rescheduled depending on when the visibility improves. Some persons have respiratory conditions and may have to stay indoors or wear a nosemask to help them with breathing.” Said Dudu
And for travellers, the forecast is set to improve. Although domestic flights are currently grounded due to poor visibility its forecast that conditions will improve by the weekend.
