Cairo, Egypt

Margaret Williams

The city of Cairo in Egypt has a climate that is mostly influenced by landforms and latitude. Ocean currents do not have much influence on Cairo because it is not in the proximity of any oceans. Other contributing factors to Cairo’s climate are wind patterns and elevation.

The wind currents do not have too much impact on Cairo’s climate. However, the sirocco hot winds from the Sahara Desert do have a warming influence.

The hot climate is also because of its latitude. Although Cairo is in the middle latitudes, it is close enough to the low latitudes to have a mild climate. The low latitudes receive near constant direct sunlight, while the middle latitudes can receive seasonal indirect sunlight. In the summer, since Cairo is so close to the Tropic of Cancer, it receives more direct sunlight than other mid-latitude areas. Cairo’s summer, between May and October, is hot and humid, while the winter, from November to April, is warm and mild.

Another factor that moderates Cairo’s temperature is landforms. The city is relatively close to the Mediterranean Sea and is on the Nile River. It takes more energy to warm the sea, so in the summer, the temperatures aren’t as drastic compared to if Cairo was far inland. The sea absorbs the sun’s heat in the summer, and then gives this heat off in the winter. Also, Cairo is located on the banks of the Nile River, immediately south of the low-lying Nile Delta Region. There are no mountain ranges to obstruct prevailing winds. On summer nights, the breezes from the river cool the air, a relief from the hot daytime.

Elevation is low compared to surrounding terrain because of the low Nile River. The elevation is 243 ft, very close to sea level. This affects the temperature because the lower the elevation, the thicker the air is, so it can retain more of the sun’s heat.

The climate of Cairo, Egypt is hot with only two mild seasons. It receives little rain. Landforms, latitude, and elevation play the biggest parts in making the conditions the way they are.