Dust storm sweeps through Cairo forcing school shutdowns

A fierce khamsin dust storm cloaked the Egyptian capital in a yellow haze on Wednesday, shutting schools and cutting visibility as winds gusting to 80 kph swept across Cairo and much of the country.

A fierce khamsin dust storm swept across Cairo on Wednesday, tinting the sky a hazy yellow and slashing visibility throughout the Egyptian capital. Outlying districts such as New Cairo and 6 October City—bordered by open desert—were hit hardest.

All schools remained closed after the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) issued a high-impact alert, forecasting winds of 40–60 kph with gusts up to 80 kph. The EMA urged residents to avoid unstable structures, wear masks outdoors and drive cautiously amid the blowing sand.

The storm was expected to reach much of the country, including Greater Cairo, North Upper Egypt, the Suez Canal zone, the Sinai Peninsula and the Gulf of Suez. Thunderstorms were possible along the northern coast, while light to moderate rain was forecast for Greater Cairo, North Sinai and Suez Canal cities. Maritime traffic in the Gulf of Suez faced three-metre waves.

Khamsin winds, common from March to May, signal the shift from Egypt’s breezy spring to its intense summer heat. Temperatures in Greater Cairo were set to peak at 33 °C on Wednesday and climb to 40 °C in parts of Upper Egypt, before dropping to about 27 °C in the capital on Thursday.

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