what is the coldest month in the sahara desert

The reason that arid deserts dry regions covering about 35% of Earth's land get so hot, and subsequently so cold, is a combination of two key factors: sand and humidity. At 9.4 million square kilometers(3.6 million square miles), the Sahara is also the largest hot desert on Earth. Held on 18 November, this day commemorates the day Morocco gained independence from Spain and France in 1956. But when the weather turns cold during winter months in northern parts of the desert, its usually very harsh and can get as low as -36 to -52F (-33 C). Let us know in the comments below! (function (d) { The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Said and Abdellatif were very professional and helpful during the whole process. See more current weather Annual Weather Averages in Asyut Airport During the 1990s, joint Mongolian-Russian-American archaeological expeditions excavated Paleolithic and Neolithic caves in the Mongolian Gobi. SidmartinBio", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Desert_climate&oldid=1150209265, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 22:03. window.StacklaGoConnectConfig.cdn : 'assetscdn.stackla.com'; 18 0 C is mostly used because it gives a more accurate insight into the temperatures of an arid region throughout the year. If the area's annual precipitation is less than half the threshold (50%), it is classified as a BW (desert climate), while 50-100% the threshold results in a semi-arid climate.[5]. The Hautes Plaines, located in the northeastern section of Morocco and in Algeria is another major example of a cold desert climate. Festivals. Thanks for contacting us. Some are superhot in the day. The precipitation threshold (in millimetres) involves first multiplying the average annual temperature in C by 20, then adding 280 if 70% or more of the total precipitation is in the high-sun summer half of the year (April through September in the Northern Hemisphere, or October through March in the Southern), or 140 if 3070% of the total precipitation is received during the applicable period, or 0 if less than 30% of the total precipitation is so received there. The temperatures generally range between 10C and 20C depending on the region, although it can get colder so its best to come prepared for anything. Its also the best time to visit the Sahara Desert as the temperatures are mild although the nights are still very cold! Since the Pliocene the Sahara has been subject to short- and medium-term oscillations of drier and more humid conditions. Youll find all kinds of festivities from decorated mosques to market stalls selling traditional snacks and crafts. "It tends to be a relatively small problem for them," said Dale DeNardo, an environmental physiologist at Arizona State University who specializes in desert animals. However, large warm blooded, or endothermic mammals, like camels, are too big to hide away from the sun and can't let their body temperature drop. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. And most deserts, far from being empty and lifeless, are home to a variety of plants, animals, and other organisms. The highest point in the desert is the 11,204-foot (3,415-metre) summit of Mount Koussi in the Tibesti Mountains in Chad. Excellent drivers, guides and truly memorable people in a lively country. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Of course, weather varies across the regionthe Sahara stretches across one-third of Africabut here, in the desert's northwest, days are long and hot, with highs in the mid-90s and lows in the mid-70s. The climate is acutely continental and dry: winter is severe, spring is dry and cold, and summer is warm. It also extends into Morocco and Mauritania. Both of these criteria are applicable to the southwestern half of the Kalahari. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. [9][10], "BWh" redirects here. The sun sets and after its heat has dissipated, the majority of what is left becomes a cool breeze. Many reptiles also benefit from being small, which allows them to find shady nooks during the day or warmer rocks at night. These storms can cause tremendous flash floods that rush into areas where no precipitation has fallen. The weather continues to cool down in October, making this month a popular time for tourists. Winters are relatively cold in the northern regions and cool in the central Sahara. The largest desert on Earth is Antarctica, which covers 14.2 million square kilometers(5.5 million square miles). The Sahara has a dry, tropical climate that provides for mild winters. Tan-Tan Moussem (Festival). While Morocco and the Sahara Desert are known for their scorching temperatures, it actually gets quite cold in winter. If you're taking a day trip to the Sahara Desert in North Africa, you're going to want to bring a lot of water and plenty of sunscreen. Indeed, Lakes Orog and Bntsagaan, in the easternmost Mongolian Altai, and Lake Ulaan, in the northwestern Gobi Altai, are but shadows of their former selves. Still, the Moroccan Sahara is not a place to visit casually or spontaneously: to have the best experience in this far-flung region, it's best to plan well ahead of time. Deserts get about 250 millimeters (10 inches) of rain per yearthe least amount of rain of all of the biomes. While some travellers avoid travelling during Ramadan as some businesses shut down, its a great time to visit if youre interested in different cultures and religions. Starting with the superb itinerary by Sharon to our wonderful guide Amnay and driver Waleed. Therefore, a lack of humidity in deserts allows these arid places to quickly heat up but also rapidly cool. RELATED CONTENT: All the essentials to include on your Morocco packing list. On some occasions, temperatures as low as 36F(-33 C) have been reported. Rather, camels survive by maintaining a constant body temperature in both hot and cold conditions. The Sahara desert has been hit by an icy blast with temperatures dipping below freezing. Are you planning to visit Morocco and the Sahara Desert? December and February are the coldest months in other states. Outdoor activities. Its mild enough to go sightseeing around the cities and warm enough to visit the Atlantic coast. Many deserts were formed 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. A desert is actually just a place that has very little precipitation. Daily temperature ranges are considerable during both the winter and summer months. At night, the average temperature is between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius. After all, when the sun goes down on a tropical beach, you don't need to don a winter coat. W", Traveled to Morocco as a couple in April, 2023, "Had the most amazing 10 day trip throughout Morocco! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The climate of Antarctica is the coldest on Earth.The continent is also extremely dry (it is a desert), averaging 166 mm (6.5 in) of precipitation per year. During winter, temperatures in the Sahara Desert are about 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 C) on average. Most precipitation falls from December through March. Another feature of the dry subtropics are the hot, southerly winds that often carry dust from the interior. 1st mega-tsunami on record since antiquity was triggered by Tonga volcanic eruption, 'Mind boggling' array of 19,000 undersea volcanoes discovered with high-resolution radar satellites. But the desert is vast, and in its northwestern sectionwhere it crosses into Moroccothe weather is lovely at this time of year. September is one of the best times to visit Morocco as the weather starts to cool down, the skies are blue, and the summer holiday crowds tend to leave. Although the massifs of the dry tropics often receive small quantities of precipitation throughout the year, the lowlands have a single summer maximum. In 2018 there was 40cm (15in) of snow. If youre after water sports, surfing, beaches and seafood, head to Essaouira. The temperatures are warm but not sweltering, and the rain is easing off. Summer is in full swing come June and its one of the hottest months of the year to visit Morocco. Some desert plant species have a short life cycle of a few weeks that lasts only during periods of rain. Driest place. From the ", Traveled to Morocco as a group in April, 2023, "Soufiane, our driver and day-to-day guide, had excellent food recommendations, kept us hydrated with fresh water in the car each day, and was a friendly and ", "Late to review. Dating from the 4th to the 10th century ce, these temples have been well preserved in the arid desert air, and the quality and quantity of their fresco paintings and texts has remained unmatched. Scientific study of the complexes began with the discovery in 1907 of the caves by the Hungarian-British archaeologist and geographer Aurel Stein. Cold desert climates (BWk) usually feature hot (or warm in a few instances), dry summers, though summers are not typically as hot as hot desert climates. The temperature varies dramatically from day to night here daytime temperatures often hover around 120 degrees Fahrenheit while nighttime lows drop below freezing. Almond Blossom Festival in Tafraoute. This is the time to visit the Erg Chebbi dunes, go on a camel ride, and enjoy an organized tour of desert towns. Despite these temperatures, the Sahara is home to olive trees, antelope, jerboa, scorpions, jackals, and hyenas. When heat and light from the sun hit a sandy desert, sand grains in the desert's top layer absorb and also release heat back into the air, according to a 2008 report from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Get ready for it: June is the start of summer in the Sahara, the driest desert in the world. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Although precipitation is highly variable, it averages about 3 inches (76 millimetres) per year. [6] Some desert in the tropics consistently experience very high temperatures all year long, even during wintertime. National Geographic Headquarters 1145 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20036. if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thinkmorocco_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_16',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thinkmorocco_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thinkmorocco_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_17',116,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thinkmorocco_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0_1'); .large-mobile-banner-2-multi-116{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. In the summer this reaches, on average, 38C (100F). The discovery of 7-million-year-old dune deposits throughout northern Chad in 2006, however, suggests that the region became arid during the Miocene Epoch (23 million to 5.3 million years ago). The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The desert covers most of the North African countries, including Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya and Sudan. Since 1995, joint Mongolian-American and Mongolian-European expeditions have also investigated the tectonic history and landscape evolution of the Gobi. While its considered the low season, it does coincide with school holidays in the UK, so it can be a popular time for family holidays. Its a national public holiday and youll find festivities and events around the cities. Cold deserts are areas whose mean annual temperatures fall below the isotherm. Monsoonlike conditions exist in the eastern regions, which receive most of their precipitation in summer. "There's a lot of different places to go to be warmer or cooler, especially when you're small," DeNardo told Live Science. If you head into the mountains, youre likely to see the snow melting and the wildflowers, cherry trees and almond trees blossoming. Copyright Trafalgar Tours, all rights reserved. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, New coronavirus strain discovered in California as Fauci warns super-Covid should spur you to get vaccine, Melania Trump says violence is never the answer and will never be justified in her goodbye vid, QAnon Rep. 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Based on fossil evidence, the Sahara and Antarctica appear to have been the homes of many plants and animals in the past. Perennials survive for several years by becoming dormant and flourishing when water is available. Do camels really have water in their humps? . January is the coldest month in Saudi Arabia, with the mercury hitting an average of 20.2C. However, temperatures in the Sahara are not constant; there is variability according to the geographical areas and their climatic characteristics. "Incredible Earth" reveals answers to these questions and more on a thrilling journey through everything you need to know about our world and with gorgeous photography and insightful diagrams along the way! The reason that arid deserts dry regions covering about 35% of Earth's land get so hot, and subsequently so cold, is a combination of two key factors: sand and humidity. Climate & Weather Averages in Arabian Desert, Egypt Time/General Weather Time Zone DST Changes Sun & Moon Weather Today Weather Hourly 14 Day Forecast Yesterday/Past Weather Climate (Averages) Currently: 63 F. A fair number of the livestock consists of two-humped Bactrian camels, still used for transportation in some areas. . On January 10, locals in the mountainous region were treated to a flurry of snow. Read more:Why Are There So Many Cats In Morocco?Weddings in MoroccoExcursion to BerkaneAsilah International Cultural FestivalA 5200 Km Morocco Road TripBest Things To Do In Ifrane (Morocco)Where To Eat in MeknesBest Hotels in LaracheWhat To Eat in Rissani, How Hot Is The Sahara Desert? Precipitation averages are about five inches per year, occasionally including some snowfall in the central massifs. Akchour Waterfalls + Gods Bridge And if youre looking for some cooler areas, head to the coastal cities of Essaouira and Tangier or the peaks of the High Atlas Mountains. Summer arrives in June and so does the heat. What causes earthquakes or which animals glow in the dark? Marrakesh International Film Festival. Yassine thought nothing of going the extra mile in customer service and did that the day I hurt my ankle.", Moroccan Highlights: Fes, the Sahara Desert, & Marrakech - 6 Days, Marrakech & Grand Tour of the Sahara Desert - 6 Days, Morocco's Imperial Cities & the Sahara Desert - 13 Days, Ultimate Guide to Luxury Travel in Morocco, Planning Your Perfect Honeymoon in Morocco, Morocco in January: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, Morocco in February: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, Morocco in March: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, 5 Days in Morocco - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas, 1 Week in Morocco - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas, 10 Days in Morocco - 6 Unique Itinerary Ideas, 2 Weeks in Morocco - 5 Unique Itinerary Ideas, Grand Morocco Tour: North to South - 10 Days, Marrakech & Grand Tour of the Sahara Desert - 5 Days, A Taste of Morocco: Casablanca to Marrakech - 7 Days, Ultimate Guide to Chefchaouen: Morocco's Blue City. Pasturage for cattle is available throughout the year because of underground water supplies. This makes them both difficult places for plants and animals to live. Fes Festival of World Sacred Music. RELATED CONTENT: Christmas in the sunshine: where to go for winter sun in Morocco. Morocco's Imperial Cities & the Sahara Desert - 13 Days See Casablanca, Fes, Essaouira, the Erg Chebbi Dunes and more on this well-rounded trip plan. Theres dancing, music, storytelling, and camel races and its a spectacular event to witness. Temperatures above 35C (95F) have been recorded in these months since records began decades ago! The Sahara has rocky plateaus as well as sand dunes. There is almost no vegetation in Antarctica, so the animals that live there are mostly carnivores, such as penguins, albatrosses, whales, and seals. Photographer Karim Bouchetata took incredible photos of ice covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town. The desert climate or arid climate (in the Kppen climate classification BWh and BWk), is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. "I call it cheating because they don't really experience the limitations of a desert," DeNardo said. Summers in the Sahara Desert are like living on a hot, humid day for most of your life. Researchers are still figuring out how climate change may affect arid places and organisms, but "we're definitely going to see changes," DeNardo said. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The daytime temperature averages 38C while in some deserts it can get down to -4C at night. Temperatures in the Sahara can drop an average of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius) overnight. Its not a great time to visit the Sahara Desert due to the scorching temperatures and influx of snakes and insects. "For most deserts, we are predicting an average rise in temperature of 3 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit [1.7 to 2.2 C].". A significant example is phosphate contamination of the groundwater caused by chemical fertilizer manufacture in the Hohhot area, which has adversely affected local herds. Just remember to bring some warm clothes for those chilly nights. Most deserts receive less than 300 mm a year compared to rainforests, which receive over 2,000 mm. National Geographic Society is a 501 (c)(3) organization. Hot desert climates are found across vast areas of North Africa, Western Asia, northwestern parts of the Indian Subcontinent, interior Australia, the Southwestern United States, northern Mexico, the coast of Peru, and Chile. The ultramarathon is about 250 kilometers . At night, desert temperatures fall to an average of -3.9 degrees celsius (about 25 degrees fahrenheit). Snowy conditions make much of the High Atlas mountains impassable and snow falls heavily in many of the smaller villages. Its also a special experience to witness the breaking of the fast at sundown each day. Hot-month average temperatures are normally between 29 and 35 C (84 and 95 F), and midday readings of 43-46 C (109-115 F) are common. Ultimate Morocco Itineraries: 5, 7, 10, & 14 Days, Morocco in November: Travel Tips, Weather, and More, 2 Weeks in Morocco - 3 Family-Friendly Itinerary Ideas. The summers are hot. Desert insects include flies, malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes, fleas, lice, roaches, ants, termites, beetles, and mantids (predatory insects that camouflage themselves as leaves, twigs, or pebbles). Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Download issues for free. Its usually held in March in the Draa Valley. Stay up to date on the latest science news by signing up for our Essentials newsletter. In contrast, desert birds use evaporative cooling where they use water to transfer heat away from their bodies, like how humans sweat and dogs pant through a range of different methods (some vultures urinate on their legs to cool down). Stories, experiments, projects, and data investigations. When you reach out to him or her, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource. This incredible festival is held every year in El Jadida and draws hundreds of thousands of people. In 2022, Ramadan will begin April 2nd and ends May 1st. The Kyzyl Kum, Taklamakan and Katpana Desert deserts of Central Asia are other major examples of BWk climates. During the day, desert temperatures rise to an average of 38C (a little over 100F). In fact, some of them were among the most advanced on Earth at their time. The main occupation of the inhabitants is nomadic cattle raising, though agriculture is predominant in regions where the Chinese are concentrated. It's a national holiday, and street parties and festivals take place in cities and towns across the country. NASA Goddard Space But the endless, windswept dunes that come to mind only make up a small percentage of the deserts on the planet. The various snails that inhabit the desert are an important source of food for birds and animals. There are several highways, including one from eastern China to Xinjiang across the Bei Mountains and the Gaxun Gobi; from the town of Kalgan (Zhangjiakou) in Inner Mongolia (northwest of Beijing) to Ulaanbaatar; and from Ulaanbaatar to Dalandzadgad in southern Mongolia, some 300 miles (500 km) south-southwest of Ulaanbaatar. How we predict the weather? Its also best to stay clear of the Sahara Desert in August as its simply too hot. Several studies of the rocks in the region indicate that the Sahara became established as a climatic desert approximately 23 million years ago, an interval that spanned from the late Pliocene to the early Pleistocene Epoch. The Sahara is a dry place, but it gets chilly at night. Yennayer (Amazigh New Year). Water vapor in the air traps heat close to the ground like a giant invisible blanket and stops it from dissipating into the atmosphere, according to World Atlas. Held every year in Marrakesh to celebrate cinema, there are all kinds of films, workshops and events running, and dont miss the movie projections on the main square of Jemaa El Fna. Human activity seems to have contributed to the stability of the desert by increasing surface reflectivity and by reducing evapotranspiration. Its an incredible change from daytime highs of over 100-degrees Fahrenheit during a day with sunshine to nighttime lows of minus 4-degrees Celsius on chilly nights without any warmth coming from the sky. Sahara is considered one of the hottest deserts in the world, however, the temperatures arent constant and they vary based on the area. Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip. Im not saying that you should pack your bags and move to the Sahara Desert. In the salt marshes, too, halophilous groups prevail: potash bush, Siberian nitre bush, tamarisk, and annual halophytes; in the sands grow saxaul, the sandy wormwood, and sparse perennial and annual herbs such as the annual Gobi kumarchik (Agriophylum gobicum) and the perennial timuriya (Timouria villosa). Timitar Music Festival. Up to 2.3 feet oftorrential rainis now tipped to drench England and Wales early this week sparking multiple weather warnings. Competitors take part in the first stage of the Marathon des Sables, between Jebel Irhs and Oued Tijekht in Morocco's Sahara Desert, on Sunday, April 23. RELATED CONTENT: Our guide to everything you need to know before travelling to Morocco. Youll experience shows, workshops, conferences and more throughout the festival. The dry subtropical climate of the northern Sahara is caused by stable high-pressure cells centred over the Tropic of Cancer. This incredible cultural celebration brings dozens of different tribes from across Morocco to Tan-Tan in southwest Morocco. There are two variations of a desert climate according to the Kppen climate classification: a hot desert climate (BWh), and a cold desert climate (BWk). The Met Office has now issued an Amber and Yellow alerts for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, saying Brits should expect heavy and prolonged downpours with snowmelt causing floods. Morocco is a unique destination and", "Our family vacation to Morocco was amazing! If you require more information please view our. Milad un Nabi. However, at night it will fall below 0C which is much cooler than what you might be used to. Snow tends to be rare and sporadic in regions with this climate. Weather fronts rarely penetrate far into the continent, because of the katabatic winds. Youll witness the harvesting of millions of roses and there are plenty of special events to keep you entertained. The best time for skiing in Morocco falls from mid-January to mid-February. In the higher elevations of the zone, the lows approximate those of more northerly, subtropical regions. The Sahara Desert's vast, harsh landscape is home to little life, but hardy animals and vegetation can be found in sparse pockets like the Merzouga oasis in Morocco. An example of this is the Patagonian Desert in Argentina bounded by the Andes ranges to its west. Traditionally, an area was classed as desert if it received less than 10 inches (250 millimetres) of rain annually. Its celebrated by Amazigh (Berber) people, who mostly live in the Atlas mountains, and the festivities are incredible to see. Reptiles, the most abundant and diverse animal group in the desert, are well adapted to extreme temperature variation because they are cold blooded, or ectothermic, which means they do not need to invest energy in maintaining a constant body temperature. Early January is a popular time for tourism in the desert: lots of travelers plan trips over the Christmas and New Year holidays, so prices for tours and accommodations are higher than usual. For other uses, see, "BWk" redirects here. At night, find a cozy place to try traditional Moroccan cuisineanywhere near an open fire will dobut you'll want to focus your energy on activities during January's relatively short daylight hours, when the temperatures are pleasant for being outside.

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what is the coldest month in the sahara desert