pampero

American  

[pahm-pair-oh, pam-, pahm-pe-raw] / pɑmˈpɛər oʊ, pæm-, pɑmˈpɛ rɔ /

noun

plural

pamperos

1. a cold and dry southwesterly wind that sweeps down over the pampas of Argentina from the Andes.

---

pampero British  

/ pamˈpero, pæmˈpɛərəʊ /

noun

1. a dry cold wind in South America blowing across the pampas from the south or southwest

---

Etymology

Origin of pampero

First recorded in 1810–20; from Latin American Spanish: literally, “of the pampas”

Explanation

A pampero is a type of strong wind, often bringing thunder, lightning, and rain, that frequently blows across the grasslands of Argentina and neighboring countries in South America. The word pampero comes from pampas, the broad grassy plains that cover Uruguay and parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and southern Brazil. Bursts of cold air from Antarctica or from the nearby Andes mountain range sweep across these plains. The winds are often dry, but other times bring wet weather and thunderstorms. Pamperos are most common in the southern hemisphere's winter (roughly May through August), and they can sometimes be destructive, so if you're in the neighborhood when the season starts, make sure all your doors and windows are closed.

Example Sentences

The bullet pinked the beast between the eyes, but miraculously he bounded across the deck, roaring like a pampero.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was preceded by the barometer falling to 29.50, and by a strong N.W. wind, which suddenly veered round to S.W., when the pampero burst upon us.

From Narrative of the surveying voyages of His Majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle, between the years 1826 and 1836 Volume I. - Proceedings of the First Expedition, 1826-1830 by Fitzroy, Robert

A race meeting was being held near the town of El Carmen, on a high exposed piece of ground, when, shortly before sunset, a violent pampero wind came up, laden with dense dust-clouds.

From The Naturalist in La Plata by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)

Instead of remaining hove-to on the pampero, Captain West had turned tail and was running before it. 

From The Mutiny of the Elsinore by London, Jack

When to the east of Rio de la Plata she was caught in one of those formidable gales, there called pampero, but had the good fortune to weather it without sustaining any damage.

From Celebrated Travels and Travellers Part III. The Great Explorers of the Nineteenth Century by D'Anvers, N.