The Egyptian Climate

The Egyptian climate can easily be described... Wonderful winters and hot summers.

Throughout Egypt, days are commonly warm or hot, and nights are cool and the country only has two seasons: a mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October. The only differences between the seasons are variations in daytime temperatures and changes in prevailing winds.

Egyptian Climate: Temperatures

In the coastal regions, temperatures range between an average minimum of 14° C in winter and an average maximum of 30° C in summer. Temperatures vary widely in the inland desert areas, especially in summer, when they may range from 7° C at night to 43° C during the day. During winter, temperatures in the desert fluctuate less dramatically, but they can be as low as 0° C at night and as high as 18° C during the day.

In the north, the cooler Egyptian climate of Alexandria during the summer have made the city a popular resort. Throughout the Nile Delta and the northern Nile Valley, there are occasional winter cold spells accompanied by light frost and even snow. At Aswan, in the south, June temperatures can be as low as 10° C at night and as high as 41° C during the day when the sky is clear.

Egyptian Climate: Precipitation

Egypt receives fewer than eighty millimetres of precipitation annually in most areas. Most rain falls along the coast, but even the wettest area, around Alexandria, receives only about 200 millimetres of precipitation per year. Alexandria has relatively high humidity, but sea breezes help keep the moisture down to a comfortable level.

Cairo receives a little more than one centimetre of precipitation each year. The city, however, reports humidity as high as 77 percent during the summer. But during the rest of the year, humidity is low. The areas south of Cairo receive only traces of rainfall. Some areas will go years without rain and then experience sudden downpours that result in flash floods.

The Sinai Peninsula receives somewhat more rainfall (about twelve centimetres annually in the north) than the other desert areas, and the region is dotted by numerous wells and oases, which support small population centres that formerly were focal points on trade routes. Water drainage toward the Mediterranean Sea from the main plateau supplies sufficient moisture to permit some agriculture in the coastal area, particularly near Al Arish.

Egyptian Climate: Winds

A phenomenon of the Egyptian climate is the hot spring wind that blows across the country. The winds, known to Europeans as the Sirocco and to Egyptians as the Khamsin, usually arrive in April but occasionally occur in March and May. The winds form in small but vigorous low-pressure areas in the Isthmus of Suez and sweep across the northern coast of Africa.

Unobstructed by geographical features, the winds reach high velocities and carry great quantities of sand and dust from the deserts. These sandstorms, often accompanied by winds of up to 140 kilometres per hour, can cause temperatures to rise as much as 20° C in two hours.

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Egypt Travel Guides

Cairo Travel Guide
The Cairo Travel Guide provides you with everything you need to know when planning your trip to Cairo. Whether you're Cairo, Egypt travel plans include sightseeing, dining or shopping, you'll find the information that you need right here.


Luxor Travel Guide
The Luxor Travel Guide gives you all the info you'll need to make the most of your stay here. Travel to Egypt and explore the many temples and tombs of the ancient capitol city of Thebes.


Alexandria Travel Guide
The city of Alexandria is one of the largest and most populated in Egypt and has a population of more than four million. The Alexandria, Egypt Travel Guide covers the attractions and the most popular Egypt tours starting from Alexandria Port.


Aswan Travel Guide
This beautiful city is just over 80 miles south of Luxor. The city has a number of different things for visitors to see and do, including ancient temples, mosques, islands, bazaars, and more. The Aswan Travel Guide covers it all.


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