Weather in Egypt

You might have been told that Egypt has only two seasons – hot and really hot – but there's a little more variation than that. With a Mediterranean coastline as well as much of the country in desert, it can experience a whole range of weather, from arid heat to even snow! The fertile Nile Valley and Delta, which makes up 5.5% of Egypt's land mass, is said to be home to around 99% of the country's population. Here, temperatures are more steady, and although still very hot in the summer, much more bearable than other parts of Egypt. Rainfall is very low across the country, only occurring in the winter months, and although the temperatures dip slightly around then, average winter minimums in Egypt don't hit the usual lows you may expect.

Make a considered choice about the time of year that you head off on an Egypt adventure, as travelling in very high heat and visiting outdoor sights can be pretty demanding, especially for those who are not used to such extreme temperatures.

Woman sitting in the sun against a backdrop of Cairo buildings

Weather in Cairo

Egypt's capital stays mild-to-hot for most of the year, with temperatures often hitting around 34°C (92°F) in summer and 18°C (65°F) in winter. March and April can be very windy, which may cause sandstorms. In July and August, temperatures sizzle, with daily highs often reaching the high 30s (Celsius – around 100°F). Low humidity does make the heat easier to deal with, but high temperatures coupled with Cairo's pollution can make the afternoons especially uncomfortable, so be sure to schedule in a break indoors.

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	27°C/81°F	15°C/64°F
June to August	34°C/92°F	21°C/71°F
September to November	28°C/82°F	17°C/63°F
December to February	18°C/65°F	9°C/49°F

Mild weather by the harbour in Alexandria

Weather in Alexandria

Up on the north Mediterranean coastline is Alexandria, with more pleasant temperatures and low rainfall, although slightly wetter than inland Egypt. Sea breezes make this part of Egypt more comfortable than the south, but be wary of the khamaseen – a swirling wind from the Sahara that can make things quite uncomfortable if blowing a gale. The best month for swimming is in August, where sea temperatures average out at a balmy 26°C (79°F).

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	23°C/74°F	14°C/57°F
June to August	29°C/85°F	21°C/70°F
September to November	26°C/78°F	17°C/63°F
December to February	17°C/63°F	9°C/49°F

Woman enjoying a sunny day on a boat in Aswan

Weather in Aswan

Aswan's got a hot desert climate and, along with Luxor, it has some of the hottest temperatures of any city in Egypt. It's hot, dry, sunny and... hot. Humidity rises no higher than 42% in winter – and speaking of winter, they're extremely short and very warm. With less than 1 mm of rain falling in an entire year, and some years with no rainfall at all, don't pack a raincoat.

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	34°C/94°F	18°C/65°F
June to August	41°C/105°F	25°C/78°F
September to November	35°C/94°F	20°C/67°F
December to February	24°C/76°F	10°C/50°F

Boats in the harbour on a sunny day in Hurghada

Weather in Hurghada

The resort town of Hurghada on Egypt's east coast experiences sunshine year round with very low rainfall which occurs almost exclusively in winter. The ideal times to visit are early autumn and late spring, where temperatures are warm and there aren't too many tourist crowds around. It has a subtropical-desert climate, and sea temperatures sit, on average, at a consistently warm 24°C (75°F).

MONTH	AVERAGE HIGH	AVERAGE LOW
March to May	29°C/84°F	19°C/66°F
June to August	35°C/94°F	25°C/76°F
September to November	29°C/84°F	20°C/69°F
December to February	22°C/71°F	12°C/53°F