Sharm El Sheikh
- Day
- 38.5°C
- Sea
- 28.7°C
- Sun
- 12.9h
- Rain days
- 0
Your August weather guide
August is a good month for Egypt if you want hot beach weather and can plan around the heat, but it is a poor fit for long days outdoors. Average daytime temperatures reach 36°C, nights stay around 26°C, and the sea averages 29°C. The coast makes more sense than an outdoor-heavy city break, though nowhere in the supplied destinations is cool. Choose your base carefully and treat a midday break as part of the holiday.
Long-term climate averages, not a forecast · 1991-2020
Egypt, month by month
Turn up the warmth
Ranked by average daytime high. The full comparison is in the table below.
All 4 places we track in Egypt, ordered by daytime high.
Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.
| # | Destination | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sharm El Sheikh | 38.5°C | 26.3°C | 28.7°C | 12.9 h | 0 | 5 h 36 min |
| 2 | Cairo | 36.4°C | 21.9°C | - | 12.2 h | 0 | 5 h 6 min |
| 3 | Marsa Alam | 36.3°C | 27.8°C | 29.4°C | 12.3 h | 0 | 5 h 54 min |
| 4 | Hurghada | 34.5°C | 27.5°C | 28.4°C | 12.8 h | 0 | 5 h 36 min |
4 destinations shownClimate averages, not a forecast.
Daytime highs across Egypt in August run from 34.5°C (Hurghada) to 38.5°C (Sharm El Sheikh). In Sharm El Sheikh about 100% of August days reach 25°C. Nights average 25.9°C; the coldest 10% of nights in Hurghada fall to 26°C or below.
Expect around 0 rainy days (1 mm or more) in August, with Sharm El Sheikh the driest (0 days) and Sharm El Sheikh the wettest (0 days). The wettest August at Sharm El Sheikh between 1991 and 2020 was 1998 with 0 mm; the driest was 1991 with 0 mm.
The sea averages 28.8°C around Egypt in August - warmest at Marsa Alam (29.4°C). That is comfortable for swimming.
Around 12.6 hours of sunshine a day on average, out of 13.0 hours of daylight (sunshine estimated from cloud cover).
August is the 1st warmest month of the twelve in Egypt. It is 0.1°C warmer than July and 1.9°C cooler in September. The hottest month here is August (36°C) and the coolest January (21°C).
Based on the averages: light, loose clothing and serious sun protection - midday highs sit around 36°C; swimwear - the sea is 29°C.
Within 1.5°C of Egypt's August daytime average: Las Vegas (38°C), Marrakech (36°C), Seville (35°C). See the full ranking for August.
Hurghada is the better choice if you want the least intense daytime heat: its 34°C average is lower than elsewhere here, although nights remain warm at 28°C. Sharm El Sheikh is the hottest option at 38°C, so it suits travellers who are comfortable with strong heat and happy to spend the middle of the day indoors. Marsa Alam sits between them at 36°C, with 28°C nights offering little cooling after sunset. Cairo also averages 36°C by day, but its 22°C nights give you more relief in the evening. For a sea-focused holiday, favour the coast; for Cairo, keep outdoor plans flexible and leave room for regular breaks in air-conditioned spaces.
Expect heat to shape your routine more than rain. With 0 rainy days on average and 12.6 hours of sunshine, August offers plenty of daylight, but that does not make every hour comfortable outdoors. Put longer walks early in the day, keep midday for shade or air conditioning, and return outside later when the sun is lower. Pack loose, lightweight clothing, a hat and sun protection, and keep drinking water readily available. Evenings are still warm, particularly on the coast, so do not count on a cool night after a hot afternoon. Warm sea temperatures favour swimming, although the water will feel less refreshing than a cooler sea would.
A little more detail
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Sharm El Sheikh is the warmest of the 4 places we track in Egypt in August with an average high of 38.5°C; Hurghada is the coolest at 34.5°C.
The sea averages 22°C or more at Sharm El Sheikh (29°C), Marsa Alam (29°C), Hurghada (28°C) in August.
Yes. The sea averages 29°C in Sharm El Sheikh and Marsa Alam, and 28°C in Hurghada. That suits travellers who dislike chilly water, but swimming may offer only limited relief from the heat because the sea is warm too.
Egypt averages 36°C by day, compared with London's 21°C. Expect a substantial change in how comfortable walking feels, rather than just warmer beach weather. Leave space in your plans for indoor breaks, especially while you adjust to the heat.
Cairo has the lowest average night temperature here at 22°C, compared with 26°C in Sharm El Sheikh and 28°C in Hurghada and Marsa Alam. It is the better option for evening relief, although its daytime average still reaches 36°C.
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 4 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather