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Short Breaks in Egypt: Three and Four Day Cairo Trips
Tailor-made Egypt Tours: Private Trips Built Around You
Weather · Alexandria
Alexandria has a Mediterranean climate, cooler and wetter than the rest of Egypt. Highs run from 18C in January to 31C in August. Winter brings up to 10 rain days a month, and summer is dry. The sea ranges from 18C to 28C. The best months to visit are April, May, October and November. Summer is warm, busy and about four degrees cooler than Cairo. Here is each season in numbers.
Alexandria faces the Mediterranean, so its weather is closer to southern Europe than to Luxor. The chart shows the average high, low and sea temperature for each month. Air ranges from 18C in January to 31C in August. The sea ranges from 18C in February and March to 28C in August and September.
Alexandria weather by month
Typical daytime highs, with night lows, sea, sunshine and rain below.
| Daytime high | Night low | Sea temperature | Sunshine, hours a day | Rain days a month | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18°C | 9°C | 19°C | 6 | 10 |
| February | 19°C | 10°C | 18°C | 7 | 8 |
| March | 21°C | 12°C | 18°C | 8 | 5 |
| April | 24°C | 14°C | 19°C | 9 | 2 |
| May | 27°C | 18°C | 21°C | 10 | 1 |
| June | 29°C | 22°C | 24°C | 12 | 0 |
| July | 30°C | 24°C | 27°C | 12 | 0 |
| August | 31°C | 24°C | 28°C | 11 | 0 |
| September | 30°C | 23°C | 28°C | 10 | 0 |
| October | 28°C | 19°C | 26°C | 9 | 2 |
| November | 24°C | 15°C | 24°C | 8 | 4 |
| December | 20°C | 11°C | 21°C | 6 | 9 |
Winter, December to February, is cool and often wet. Highs are 18C to 20C and nights drop to 9C to 11C. There are 8 to 10 rain days a month and only 6 to 7 hours of sun. A grey, blustery week in January is normal.
Spring brightens quickly. March is 21C with 5 rain days, April 24C with 2 and May 27C with 1. Sun rises to 10 hours a day by May.
Summer, June to September, is warm and dry. Highs are 29C to 31C and nights stay at 22C to 24C. That is well below Cairo's 35C in August.
Autumn cools gently. October is 28C, November 24C. Rain returns from October, with 2 rain days, then 4 in November.
The Mediterranean here is cooler than the Red Sea. It is 18C to 19C from January to April and 21C in May. It reaches 27C in July and 28C in August and September. October is still 26C.
The city beaches are narrow and busy, and swimming is not the main reason to come. Local women swim clothed, and a swimsuit on a city beach draws attention.
Alexandria is the wettest part of Egypt. Most rain falls from November to February, with 10 rain days in January and 9 in December. Rain often comes with wind off the sea.
That matters for a visit. Half of Alexandria is outdoors: the Corniche at dusk, the walk downtown, the fort at Qaitbay. A wet, windy day leaves you with indoor stops only.
From June to September it does not rain. In late March and April, the khamsin can bring a hot, dusty wind for a day or two.
December to February: a warm jacket, a waterproof layer and shoes that cope with wet streets. Evenings are cold, at 9C to 11C.
March to May and October to November: layers you can add or remove, a light jacket for evenings and comfortable walking shoes. The catacombs are reached by a spiral staircase.
June to September: light, loose clothes that cover shoulders and knees, a hat and sun cream.
For sightseeing on foot, go in April, May, October or November. Highs are 24C to 28C and rain is light.
For a break from the heat elsewhere, Alexandria in summer is warm but milder than Cairo. It is also when the city is liveliest, and most crowded with Egyptian holidaymakers.
For a day trip from Cairo, avoid the wettest weeks from December to February if you can. Alexandria is about 220 km away, about two and a half hours by fast train.
For the warmest sea, go in August or September, at about 28C.
Yes, in winter. January averages 10 rain days and December 9. June to September is dry. It is the wettest part of Egypt.
Cool. The average high is 20C and nights drop to 11C. Expect about 9 rain days and 6 hours of sun.
August averages 31C by day and 24C at night. July and September are 30C. That is cooler than Cairo in summer.
August and September, at about 28C. The coolest water is in February and March, at about 18C.
January. The average high is 18C and the low is 9C, with about 10 rain days.
In summer, yes. Alexandria averages 31C in August against 35C in Cairo. In winter Alexandria is wetter, with far more rain days.
April, May, October or November. Highs are 24C to 28C, rain is light and the Corniche is at its best.
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Written and checked by the Nile Trip Guide editorial team · Last reviewed . Entry rules, prices and opening hours change — check anything critical against the official sources linked on this page.
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