The simoom (sometimes spelled as simoun or simoon) blows in African deserts, thus very hot and dry. This is one of the shortest-lasting winds, it lasts only 20 minutes. However, it can reshape the desert landscape significantly and bring a lot of sand. The simoom occurs in summer and spring and is somewhat similar with the Samiel. The name comes from the Arabic for poison, since nomads have a lot of trouble with this quick sandstorms.