Sixth: the climatic regions of Egypt

• Egypt lies astronomically between 22° and 31.36° north, and the Tropic of Cancer crosses its south.
• This position puts more than 85% of Egypt's area inside the hot desert and semi-desert region, while the northern coastal strip facing the Mediterranean belongs to the Mediterranean region.

The prevailing regions

• 1. The Mediterranean region — Mariout, the Sinai Peninsula and the north coast, extending from Sallum in the west to Rafah in the east. Temperate in summer and winter thanks to the Mediterranean's influence; it is the rainiest region of Egypt, reaching about 200 mm per year in Alexandria and Marsa Matruh, in winter.
• 2. The semi-desert region — Middle Egypt and the southern Delta: Greater Cairo, Fayoum, Beni Suef, Minya and Asyut. Its climate is continental: the Mediterranean's influence weakens, rain is scarce, summers are hotter and winters colder.
• 3. The hot desert region — Upper Egypt, the southern valley, the Western and Eastern Deserts: Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan and the New Valley. Complete drought and very rare rain, an enormous daily and annual range; daytime summer temperatures pass 45 °C and fall in winter.
• 4. The mountain-highland region — the mountains of South Sinai and the Red Sea hills. Here the relief factor appears, with temperature falling 1 °C per 150 m, and snow falls in winter on Mount Catherine and Mount Moses.