It's the sirocco, it comes from Africa.
'Scirocco' — sci-ROC-co. The 'sci' sounds like 'sh'. Double 'c', stress on the second syllable.
Use when explaining the hot, dry, sandy wind that blows from North Africa into Sicily, Sardinia, and southern Italy. It's a named phenomenon that Italians immediately understand.
The 'scirocco' (sirocco in English) is a hot, dry or humid wind from the Sahara that reaches Italy carrying fine sand dust. It raises temperatures dramatically, can deposit red Saharan dust on cars, and is associated with headaches and malaise.
Sembra aria di forno.
It feels like oven air.
'Aria di forno' (oven air) — vivid metaphor for hot, dry wind from Africa
C'è polvere rossa dappertutto.
There's red dust everywhere.
Describes the Saharan sand deposit that accompanies scirocco events
Con questo scirocco ho un mal di testa tremendo.
With this sirocco I have a tremendous headache.
Scirocco is associated with headaches and irritability in Italian folk medicine
When the scirocco deposits Saharan sand, Italian car wash businesses see a surge in customers. The red dust coating cars and balconies is accepted as a natural phenomenon and discussed casually over coffee.