Libeccio

The winds of the Mediterranean

The libeccio (/lɪˈbɛi/; Leveche Italian: [liˈbettʃo]; Croatian: lebić [lěbitɕ]; Catalan: llebeig [ʎəˈβɛtʃ]; Maltese: Lbiċ; Greek: λίβας [ˈlivas]; Occitan: labech [laˈβetʃ]) is the westerly or south-westerly wind which predominates in northern Corsica all year round; it frequently raises high seas and may give violent westerly squalls. In summer it is most persistent, but in winter it alternates with the Tramontane (north-east or north). The word libeccio is Italian, coming from Greek through Latin, and originally means "Libyan".

The direction of the Libeccio is mostly from south-east, south or south-west, and it occurs along the coast from Cabo de Gata to Cap de la Nau, and even beyond Málaga for a distance of some 16 kilometres (10 miles) inland.