ostro

Ostro is the Italian term for an east wind, used to describe a wind that originates from the east. In Italian meteorology and maritime contexts, ostro designates winds coming from the east and has appeared in historical weather records and navigation logs.

Historically, ostro appears in European wind-naming systems and in Italian literature and poetry, where winds were often personified or used as navigational references. It is commonly found in older charts, diaries, and ship logs, reflecting a period when sailors and observers relied on named winds to describe weather and sailing conditions.

Etymology and linguistic background place ostro within the traditional Mediterranean wind vocabulary, linked to older Romance-language forms and to broader European wind-naming practices. The precise development of the term is complex and varies across regions and historical periods, but it has long been associated with an eastern origin.

In modern usage, ostro is largely historical or literary rather than a standard term in contemporary meteorology. Today, Italian weather reporting typically relies on directional terms and numerical bearings rather than named winds, though ostro may still appear in historical texts, cultural references, and discussions of traditional navigation.

See also: East wind.