From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Harmattan \Har*mat"tan\ (h[aum]r*m[a^]t"tan), n. [F. harmattan,
prob. of Arabic origin.]
A dry, hot wind, prevailing on the Atlantic coast of Africa,
in December, January, and February, blowing from the interior
or Sahara. It is usually accompanied by a haze which obscures
the sun.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Sirocco \Si*roc"co\ (s[i^]*r[o^]k"k[-o]), n.; pl. {Siroccos}
(s[i^]*r[o^]k"k[=o]z). [It. sirocco, scirocco, Ar. shorug,
fr. sharq the rising of the sun, the east, fr, sharaca to
rise as the sun. Cf. {Saracen}.]
1. An oppressive, relaxing wind from the Libyan deserts,
chiefly experienced in Italy, Malta, and Sicily.
[1913 Webster]
2. In general, any hot dry wind of cyclonic origin, blowing
from arid or heated regions, including the desert wind of
Southern California, the {harmattan} of the west coasts of
Africa, the hot winds of Kansas and Texas, the {kamsin} of
Egypt, the {leste} of the Madeira Islands, and the
{leveche} of Spain.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
harmattan
n 1: a dusty wind from the Sahara that blows toward the western
coast of Africa during the winter
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