Egypt Weather

Weather

Except for the Mediterranean coast, Egypt experiences a desert climate, which is hot and dry most of the year, especially in the summer months (June to August). Winter is from December to February with average temperatures of 20°C to 26°C.

Average temperatures range from 20°C on the Mediterranean coast to 26°C in Aswan. Maximum temperatures for the same places can get up to 31°C and 50°C, respectively. At night in winter the temperature sometimes plummets to as low as 8°C in Cairo and along the Mediterranean coast and in the desert it’s even more extreme, often scorching during the day and bitterly cold at night.

Alexandria receives the most rain, approximately 19cm a year, while far to the south in Aswan the average is about 10mm over five years. Between March and April the khamsin (a dry, hot wind) blows in from the Western Desert at up to 150km/h and the sky becomes dark orange and choked with dust.

The best time to visit the majority of sights, including the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, is from February to April and October to November, when it is not too hot to be enjoyable. The intensely hot, dry summers carry the threat of dehydration and heat exhaustion, confining travelers indoors for much of the day. The winter, on the other hand, is mild and often overcast, leaving the desert and its ancient monuments looking lackluster.

Recommended clothing for travel to Egypt is loose, lightweight, modest cottons and linens with warmer clothes for winter and cooler evenings.