It’s time for another Spanish lesson, this time in the weather department.
Have you learned the word “terral”? It comes from the Spanish word for “earth”, which is “tierra”. It refers to that hot, dry wind that blows off the inland plains out to see from time to time. In the summer time, “terral” is a real scorcher and brings with it the highest temperatures of the season.
You’ll know we are in the middle of a “terral” when you go to bed at night and it’s so hot you can’t sleep. Then you wake up feeling like you were trying to sleep in an oven and no one has yet turned down the temperature.
“Terral” is a throat parching, skin cracking phenomena that can go on and on for days on end. But then, just when you think you can’t take it any more, the wind direction might change and bring with it the cooler “levante” breezes from the Eastern seaboard.
More on the weather next week…