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 traveling in very high heat and visiting outdoor sights can be pretty demanding, especially for those who are not used to such extreme temperatures.

Weather in Cairo

Egypt's capital stays mild-to-hot for most of the year, with temperatures hitting around 93°F in summer and 64°C in winter. March and April can be windy, often causing sandstorms. In July and August, temperatures sizzle, with daily highs often reaching the high 86°Fs. Low humidity does make the heat easier to deal with but high temperatures, coupled with Cairo's pollution, can make the afternoons uncomfortable. 

Month

 Average high

 Average low

 March to May 

81°F

59°F

 June to August 

93°F

70°F

 September to November 

82°F

63°F

 December to February 

64°F

48°F

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 79°F.

Month

 Average high

 Average low

 March to May 

73°F

57°F

 June to August 

84°F

70°C

 September to November 

79°F

63°F

 December to February 

63°F

48°F

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 

93°F

64°F

 June to August 

106°F

77°F

 September to November 

95°F

68°F

 December to February 

75°F

50°F

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 75°F.

Month

 Average high

 Average low

 March to May 

84°F

66°F

 June to August 

95°F

77°F

 September to November 

84°F

68°F

 December to February 

72°F

54°F

Read about the best time to visit Egypt

Read our Egypt packing guide

Still want to learn about Egypt?Return to Egypt FAQs

Our Egypt tours

Showing 5 of 18