Levanter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the football (soccer) team, see Levante UD
The Levanter is an easterly wind that blows in the Western Mediterranean. The wind rises in the central Mediterranean or around the Balearic Islands and blows westwards reaching its greatest intensity through the Strait of Gibraltar. The winds are moist carrying fog and precipitation. The winds are well known for creating a particular cloud formation above the Rock of Gibraltar. The Levanter winds can occur at any time in the year, but are most common from July to October.
The name of the wind pattern comes from the Levante, which in Spanish means East, the perceived origin point of the winds, and it is used to describe both East and the wind coming from the East. The opposite of the Levante is the Poniente (West). Levante is originated from the verb "levantar" (to rise) and refers to the fact that the sun rises from the East. In the same way, Poniente comes from the Spanish verb "poner" (or "ponerse" in its intransitive form) which in one of its acceptions means "to put down" or "to lay down" (or "to lie down") and again it refers to the fact that Sun comes down in the West. These both terms, "Levante" and "Poniente" are commonly used in Spanish sea terminology to indicate directions, East and West, while at sea.
Levanter is also a term for people who are born in the Levant, i.e. the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean, especially those of mixed European-Oriental ancestry. "The Levanter" was a major bestseller by British author Eric Ambler.de:Levante (Wind) es:Viento de Levante fr:Levantin
