The onset of harmattan in Ghana begins a distinctive atmospheric change which is characterized by many sensory and environmental changes.

Our skin during this period becomes parched and dries up quickly. Lips crack and chafe under the relentless assault of the harmattan. The atmospheric visibility reduces as it’s blanketed in haze, fine dust, aerosols, etc. Mist and fog periodically appear during this detectable transition.

So what is harmattan; the harmattan is simply a period where dry and dusty wind blows from the Sahara Desert across West Africa, affecting countries including Ghana. This wind during this period is characterized by fine particles of dust and sand from the Sahara, lowering humidity levels and causing a haze in the atmosphere.

The Sahara desert is 1,800 kilometers (1,100 mi). The Sahara desert covers around 8% of the earth's total land area. The Sahara desert constitutes 31% of the total area of Africa. The area of the Sahara desert is 9.2 million square kilometers.

Though our laundry dries faster during this time, sweating less, reduced incidence of malaria due to the dry and arid atmospheric conditions unfavorable for mosquitoes,
many health and environmental challenges are characterized by the annual dusty Odyssey; which worsens respiratory conditions such as asthma, bronchitis, and general breathing difficulties for people, especially kids. Air quality is also reduced as already indicated which can cause irritation in the eyes. Dehydration is also a key associate of this harmattan period. Lastly, due to the hazards and dusty atmosphere, vehicles and drivers are susceptible to accidents.

Here are some things you should use and tips to protect yourself and your health during this season as this season is

1. Stay hydrated. Take in lot of fluids as much you can. Drinking enough water helps keep the skin smooth and also reduces stress.
2. Keep your inhaler and medication close if you’ve respiratory issues like asthma. With dust in the air, you can run into crises.
3. Use Moisturizers. Making sure you hydrate your skin, including your lips, your face, and your body, as well as your hair, is very important to avoid cracked lips and dry skin. Products such as locally made shea butter or pomade with shea butter base will greatly help.
4. Watch out for fire outbreaks and adhere to high standards for fire safety during this period. Data from the Ghana Fire Service indicates that fire outbreaks are usually common during harmattan. This is due to the dry atmosphere aids rapid spread of fire. The simple way of staying safe during such a period is to be more conscious of possible causes of fire outbreaks. Get an extinguisher if you will use fire for your activities this Christmas.
5. Drive slowly and cautiously. Maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle ahead. Use your headlights for more visibility and close your windows to prevent dust from entering your vehicle and also, breathing discomfort.

Stay safe and keep alive.

Writer: Eugene Osei-Tutu. He holds a bachelor of science in meteorology and climate science from KNUST