Climate of Egypt

Satellite map

Egypt essentially has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). The climate is generally extremely dry all over the country except on the northern Mediterranean coast which receives more rainfall in winter. In addition to rarity of rain, extreme heat during summer months is also a general climate feature of Egypt although daytime temperature are obviously more moderated along the northern coast.

The prevailing winds from the Mediterranean Sea continuously blow over the northern coast without the interposition of an eventual mountain range and thus, greatly moderate temperatures throughout the year. Because of this effect, averages low temperature vary from 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) during wintertime to 23 °C (73.4 °F) to summertime and averages high temperatures vary from 17 °C (62.6 °F) during wintertime to 32 °C (89.6 °F) in summertime. Though temperatures are moderated along the coasts, the situation changes very much farther in the interior of the country where the prevailing northerly winds aren't felt anymore. Thus, in the central and the southern parts, daytime temperatures are hotter especially in summers where averages high temperatures easily soar over 40 °C (104 °F) in cities and places such as Aswan, Luxor, Asyut or Sohag which are located in the deserts of Egypt. Some mountainous locations in Sinai, such as Saint Catherine, have cooler night temperatures more than any other location, because of their high elevation.

Every year, sometime from March to May, an extremely hot, dry and dusty wind blows from the south or the southwest. This wind is called khamasīn. When the flow of dry air continuously blows over vast desert regions, it picks up fine sand and dust particles and finally results in a dusty wind which is generally felt in the periphery of the desert. When this wind blows over Egypt, it causes high temperatures to soar temporarily at dangerous levels, usually over 45 °C (113 °F), the relative humidity levels to drop under 5%. The khamasīn causes sudden, early heat waves and the absolute highest temperature records in Egypt.

Egypt receives between 200 mm (7.87 in) and 20 mm (0.79 in) of annual average precipitation along the narrow Mediterranean coast, but south to Cairo, the average drastically drops to reach nearly 0 mm (0.00 in) in the central and the southern part of the country. The cloudiest rainiest places are in and around Alexandria and Rafah. The sunshine duration is also extremely high all over Egypt, ranging from a "low" of 3,300 hours along the northernmost part in places such as Alexandria to reach a high of over 4,000 hours farther in the interior, in most of the country.

General information

Topography map

Notable climatic features

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• Rafah and Alexandria are the wettest places
• Asyut is the driest city
• Aswan and Luxor are the cities with the hottest summer days
• Saint Catherine has the coldest nights and coldest winters

Cities or resorts with coolest summer days

• Mersa Matruh
• Port Said

Places with least temperature fluctuation

• Port Said
• Kosseir
• Ras El Bar
• Baltim
• Damietta
• Alexandria

Wettest places

• Rafah
• Alexandria
• Abu Qir
• Rosetta
• Baltim
• Kafr el-Dawwar
• Mersa Matruh

Cities or resorts with warmest winter nights

• Marsa Alam
• Kosseir
• Sharm el-Sheikh

Cities with most temperature fluctuation between days and nights

• Luxor
• Minya
• Sohag
• Qena
• Asyut

See also

• Geography of Egypt

References