Scorching heatwave hits Egypt Thursday, peaks next week with highs exceeding 40°C

CAIRO - 7 May 2026: Dr. Mohamed Ali Fahim, Head of the Climate Information Center at the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, issued an urgent agricultural climate warning, revealing the features of a severe heatwave that will begin gradually starting Thursday, reaching its peak at the beginning of next week, thus marking a radical shift in seasonal weather patterns.

 

Map of Heat Rise and Peak of the "Khamaseen"

 

Fahim explained that the country will witness a significant rise in temperatures, exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in some areas by the end of next week.

 

The forecast for the coming days, according to the statement, is as follows:

 

(Thursday and Friday): The actual rise begins, with temperatures ranging between 29 and 34 degrees Celsius in Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt, with noticeable wind activity in the afternoons.

 

Saturday: The heatwave intensifies, reaching 36 degrees Celsius in Upper Egypt.

 

Sunday and Monday (May 10-11): These days represent the peak of the heatwave, with hot, sandy, and dusty Khamsin winds. Temperatures in Upper Egypt will reach 40 degrees Celsius, with strong winds expected in Beni Suef, Minya, Assiut, Sohag, and the Gulf of Suez.

 

The head of the Climate Information Center indicated that the coming night may be the last time the minimum temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius, effectively marking the end of winter and the end of the term "cold nights."

 

Fahim warned that the high nighttime temperatures will lead to a phenomenon called "dark breathing" in plants. This is a vital process that causes plants to consume their sugar and energy reserves during the night, reducing the efficiency of sizing and filling processes in crops, increasing heat stress and the plants' need for water and nutrients, and intensifying the activity of summer pests and diseases (such as spider mites and thrips).