For people in cold countries, the coming of spring means an end to long months of cold and darkness, exchanging the bleak white and grey of winter for the brilliant greens, pinks, and yellows of spring growth. Spring in Egypt’s capital city, Cairo, may not bring the same kinds of changes, but it still has many distinctive features, some pleasant and others less so. Statistics indicate that the country generally receives very little rain, even in Mediterranean areas like Alexandria, and the temperature rarely dips below freezing, even in the coldest months of the year. The dry climate makes the temperate months of winter better for growing plants than the hot summer months, although parts of Cairo are green year-round.
Spring brings many changes to Cairo’s weather. Temperatures begin to rise, and at about the time people in snowy countries begin to plant their summer gardens, Egyptians begin to pull plants out of the ground. With temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in summer, the season is too hot for the plants people in other countries enjoy. Even as the marigolds and pansies reach their end, however, many of the native plants of Egypt begin their season. Some of the most exotic spring blossoms are the Flamboyant trees, named for their brilliant orange flowers that seem to light up the dingiest of streets, and the pointsettia plants growing in gardens and parks.
The coming of spring, however, also signals the beginning of the stormy season. Every April, and sometimes in March and May, sandstorms move through the city, turning everything grimy with sand and dirt as winds sometimes reaching 140 kilometres (84 miles) per hour. When the sky begins to darken and turn orange, Cairo’s residents head for cover to avoid the stinging sand blowing through the city. Called the khamseen (Arabic for “fifty”), each storm is soon over but leaves its dirt everywhere, caught in the cracks and crevices of buildings, in people’s hair, and anywhere else it can go.
Celebrations are also part of spring. Orthodox Easter happens a week later than in the west, and the next Monday is Egypt’s most unique holiday, Sham El Nessim. Called “sniffing the breezes” in Arabic, this holiday gives Egyptians the chance to enjoy the warmer weather and new plant growth before the heat of summer comes. Other official Egyptian holidays include Sinai Liberation Day in April and Labor Day on May 1st; With these and other holidays, all Egyptians can enjoy time off in the spring. Moveable celebrations like Ramadan, which is based on the lunar calendar, can also make spring special for those who participate in them.
With so much to do and see, and the moderate temperatures to enjoy, spring in Cairo is a special time
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