khamsin

Also known as chamsin, hamsin, khamaseen

Khamsin, chamsin or hamsin ( , meaning "fifty"), more commonly known in Egypt, Israel and Palestine as khamaseen ( , ), is a dry, hot, sandy local wind affecting Egypt and the Levant; similar winds, blowing in other parts of North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the entire Mediterranean basin, have different local names, such as bad-i-sad-o-bist roz in Iran and Afghanistan, haboob in the Sudan, aajej in southern Morocco, ghibli in Tunis, harmattan in the western Maghreb, africo in Italy, sirocco (derived from the Arabic , "eastern") which blows in winter over much of the Middle East, and sim