Geographically, Sudan's capital city, Khartoum, lies in the tropics north of the equator, but its climate feels more like a desert: sunny, hot and dry. You'll need to prepare for extreme heat when visiting Khartoum, possibly even during the city's mildest months. Depending on when you go, you could also face floods or blinding sandstorms.
Khartoum is hot year-round, more so than most other world capitals, including desert capitals in the Middle East, such as Riyadh and Baghdad. The coolest time of the year is December through February, when the average temperature is in the high 70s. Even then, the average highs are usually in the high 80s or low 90s. The rest of the months are even warmer, and May and June can be absolutely scorching, with temperatures as high as 118 degrees possible. The average low temperature can reach the 60s in December through February but is in the 70s or 80s the rest of the year. Below-freezing temperatures are unheard of in Khartoum.
Rain is a rare event in Khartoum. From December through March, there usually is no rain at all. Moister southwesterly winds begin working their way up the country after that, and by July, Khartoum sees sporadic rain. Even so, it usually rains only a few days in July through September. The wettest month, August, generally sees only about 3 inches of rain on average. May, June and October usually have only a trace of rain.
Violent sandstorms known as haboobs are common in Khartoum from May through August. These storms form as moist air from the southwesterlies meet the extreme heat, creating large thunderstorms. With little vegetation around Khartoum to bind the sand, these storms whip up dust and can quickly reduce visibility to zero. Khartoum also is vulnerable to droughts in years when the southwesterlies arrive late or not at all. Additionally, flooding from the Nile is possible from July through September.
The heat is the biggest risk to your health in Khartoum. Besides the high temperatures, the humidity can be extreme, so you will need to stay hydrated and limit outdoor activity. When choosing a hotel, air conditioning should be high on your list of requirements. Still, Sudan is a conservative Muslim country, so you should not use the heat as an excuse to dress immodestly. Additionally, the ultraviolet index is extreme most of the year and high the remainder of the year, so sunscreen, hats and other protection from sunburn are a must.
- Corinthia Hotels: Khartoum Weather
- Climate Zone: Khartoum
- World Climate Guide: Khartoum Climate Guide
- Embassy of the United States: Sudan Geography and Climate
- Nile Basin Initiative: The Eastern Nile Region Registers Progress in Flood Preparedness and Early Warning
- U.K. Foreign & Commonwealth Office: Sub-Saharan Africa -- Sudan
- Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images News/Getty Images