Sirocco

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This article is about the Mediterranean wind. For other uses, see Sirocco (disambiguation).

Sirocco, scirocco, jugo or, rarely, siroc is a strong southerly to southeasterly wind in the Mediterranean that originates from the Sahara and similar North African regions. It is known locally as the qibli (قبلی i.e. "coming from the qibla".)

It arises from a warm, dry, tropical airmass that is pulled northward by low-pressure cells moving eastward across the Mediterranean Sea. The hotter, drier continental air mixes with the cooler, wetter air of the maritime cyclone, and the counter-clockwise circulation of the low propels the mixed air across the southern coasts of Europe.

The Sirocco causes dusty, dry conditions along the northern coast of Africa, storms in the Mediterranean Sea, and cold, wet weather in Europe. The Sirocco's duration may be a half day or many days. Many people attribute health problems to the Sirocco either because of the heat and dust along the African coastal regions or the cool dampness in Europe. The dust within the Sirocco winds can degrade mechanical devices and invade domiciles.

These winds with speeds of almost 100 kilometers per hour are most common during the autumn and the spring. They reach a peak in March and in November, with a maximum speed of about 100 km/h (55 knots, hurricane-force).

Scirocco and Sirocco are Italian names where the Greek word for the wind "σιρόκος" (sirokos) comes from, while jugo is its name in Croatia and ghibli in Libya. The sirocco reaching the south of France contains more moisture and is known as the marin.

Other prominent wind systems in the region are the bora/bura/burja (northwestern) and the lebeccio/lebić (southwestern).