Wind O’Clock

There is a phenomenon here in Portugal and it is called Wind O’Clock.

Well, that is what we have called it. Because really no-one seems to be able to make up their mind on what to call it.

I am not even sure if it is a phenomenon. A phenomenon suggests something rather magical and unexplained. I am sure someone somewhere will be able to explain this quite simply. I personally guess it is something to do with heat and sea and evaporation and cooling. But in what order I don’t know.

Anyway, it is quite simply a strong, gusting wind that suddenly appears in the afternoon at some random time that no-one can seem to agree on. Blasting it’s warm way across the land from the sea. 

When we first arrived in Portugal we were at friends for lunch and without warning the wind suddenly got up and parasols were blown to kingdom come and floaty skirts were asunder.

“Ah”, our hosts said sagely. “That is the three o’clock wind. Without fail, at three o’clock it will appear.”

“You can set your clock by it,” they added.

So there we were, something new learnt. At another rendezvous with some recently arrived friends the said wind got up and C and I looked knowingly at each other.

“That’ll be the three o’clock wind,” we said in unsion and perhaps a little smugly at our new found knowledge. “You can set your clock by it.”

Our friends looked at their watches and then asked what time zone the wind was on as it was gone four o’clock.

Oh.

This happened on more than one occasion. With the wind appearing at various times throughout the afternoon, from three until six. But even though it was obviously not a time dependent thing people still insist on calling it and calling it quite determinedly the ‘something o’clock’ wind, depending, I would guess, on when it is most apparent to themselves.

Not ones to rock the boat, we just say it’s Wind O’Clock. And sure enough, it appears at some time o’clock most sunny, warm days.

I just wouldn’t set your watch by it, that’s all.