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

Table Of Contents

Prevailing wind
Sand storms
Rainfall
Mountainous areas
Notable climatic features of Egypt
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Prevailing wind

The prevailing northwesterly wind from the Mediterranean Sea continuously blows over the northern coast without the interposition of an eventual mountain range and, thus, exceptionally moderates temperatures throughout the year. Because of the effect, average low temperatures vary from 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) in the wintertime to 23 °C (73.4 °F) in the summertime, and average high temperatures range from 17 °C (62.6 °F) in the wintertime to 32 °C (89.6 °F) in the summertime. Though temperatures are moderated along the coasts, the situation changes in the interior, away from the moderating northerly winds. Thus, nighttime temperatures are scorching in the central and southern parts, especially in summers where average high temperatures can exceed 40 °C (104 °F), like in Aswan, Luxor, Asyut or Sohag, located in the deserts of Egypt.

Sand storms

Every year, from March to May, a scorching, dry and dusty wind blows from the south or the southwest. This wind is called khamasīn. When dry air flow continuously blows over vast desert regions, it picks up fine sand and dust particles. Finally, it results in a dusty wind 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), and the relative humidity levels to drop under 5%. The khamasīn causes sudden, early heat waves and Egypt’s absolute highest temperature records.

Rainfall

Egypt receives between 20 mm (0.79 in) and 200 mm (7.87 in) of annual average precipitation along the narrow Mediterranean coast, but south of Cairo, the average drops to nearly 0 millimetres (0.00 inches) 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 high all over Egypt, ranging from a low of 3,300 hours along the northernmost part in places such as Alexandria to a high of over 4,000 hours farther in the interior, in most of the country.

Mountainous areas

Some mountainous locations in Sinai, such as Saint Catherine, have cooler night temperatures due to their high elevations. It usually snows in the Sinai mountains but rarely in Giza, Cairo, and Alexandria. For example, in December 2013, Cairo received a single overnight snowfall for the first time since 1901.