This photo illustrates extreme heatwave conditions in Egypt
Most of the country is set for another week of hot to blisteringly hot weather through Thursday, with temperatures in parts of Upper Egypt climbing to 41C and 42C, according to forecasts from the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA). Throw in rising humidity, morning fog and the occasional gusty wind, and the atmosphere promises to be less "Mediterranean escape" and more "hairdryer pointed at your face".
A brief dip in temperatures at the start of the week will offer northern Egypt and Cairo a modest respite before the mercury begins creeping up again. Daytime highs in the capital are expected to fluctuate between 33C and 36C, while the Mediterranean coast will remain relatively bearable at 28C to 32C.
The pattern marks the familiar arrival of the Egyptian summer, when humidity along the Mediterranean and Nile Delta conspires to make already high temperatures feel several degrees warmer than the numbers suggest, because apparently 35C needed a sidekick.
Saturday is expected to be Cairo's hottest day, with temperatures reaching 36C, before easing to 34C on Sunday and 33C on Monday. By midweek, the heat will begin its steady comeback, with highs returning to around 35C. Night-time temperatures are forecast to hover between 22C and 24C, offering residents at least some opportunity to remember what comfort feels like.
Coastal cities, including Alexandria, will fare better thanks to sea breezes that temper the heat, even if humidity remains stubbornly high. Temperatures there are expected to range between 28C and 32C.
Further south, however, summer will arrive with considerably less restraint. Upper Egypt is forecast to reach 42C on Sunday before settling into a routine of 40C to 41C for much of the week. Cities in northern Upper Egypt, including Minya and Assiut, are expected to record highs of between 35C and 38C.
The EMA also warned of morning fog that could reduce visibility on roads around Greater Cairo, the Canal cities, central Sinai, nd parts of northern Upper Egypt. Conditions could become particularly dense during the early hours.
Northwesterly winds are expected to remain active across much of the country, especially in South Sinai, the Red Sea governorate, the Western Desert and parts of Upper Egypt. In South Sinai, wind speeds could reach about 20 knots on Saturday, creating rougher conditions in exposed areas.
Forecasters also pointed to a slight chance of light rain on parts of the northern coast and northern Delta on Saturday, a meteorological plot twist that, while unusual for early summer, is not entirely unheard of.
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