Weather

Although Sudan lies within the tropics, the climate ranges from arid in the north to tropical  in the far southwest and temperatures do not vary greatly with the season.

From January to March, the country is under the influence of the dry north easterlies and there is practically no rainfall. Early April sees heavy rains and thunderstorms.

The warmest months are invariably May and June, when temperatures can reach 48° C or more than 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

In some years, the arrival of the south westerlies with their plentiful supply of rain has either been delayed or has failed to happen altogether; causing widespread drought and famine. The 1970s and 1980s saw a frequent failure of these winds, with disastrous results for the Sudanese people and their economy.

The haboob, a violent dust storm, can occur in central Sudan when the moist south westerly flow first arrives (May through July). The moist, unstable air forms thunderstorms in the heat of the afternoon and produces a huge wall of yellow sand and clay that can temporarily reduce visibility to zero.

Click here for an updated weather forecast.