Also known as the Gregale, this wind is most intense during autumn and winter, churning the sea into a hazardous state. It arises from pressure differences between the Azores and Europe. Maltese and Italian poets have long personified the greggale as a belligerent spirit, rattling shutters and testing seaworthiness. Its persistent, howling nature makes it a metaphor for intractable conflict, mental unrest, and the relentless battering of external forces against one's inner fortress, often linked to themes of endurance and island isolation.

The greggale, or gregale, is a strong northeasterly wind that blows across the central Mediterranean, especially affecting Malta and the Ionian Sea. It is most intense during autumn and winter, churning the sea into a hazardous state and rattling coastal communities. In Maltese and Italian poetry, the greggale is often personified as a belligerent spirit, a relentless force that tests seaworthiness and mental endurance. Its persistent, howling nature makes it a powerful metaphor for intractable conflict, mental unrest, and the battering of external forces against one's inner fortress. Poets can use the greggale to explore themes of endurance, isolation, and the struggle against overwhelming odds. Unlike the warm, gentle winds of summer, the greggale is a wind of challenge and adversity, a force that strips away comfort and demands resilience. Its name carries a rough, guttural quality that can add a harsh, rhythmic texture to verse.