Levanter

Levanter, strong wind of the western Mediterranean Sea and the southern coasts of France and Spain. It is mild, damp, and rainy and is most common in spring and fall. Its name is derived from Levant, the land at the eastern end of the Mediterranean, and refers to the wind’s easterly direction. The levanter reaches its maximum intensities in the Strait of Gibraltar, where it sometimes brings eastward-flying airplanes almost to a standstill. It causes...