Egypt's Meteorological Authority issued warnings on October 10, 2026, for thunderstorms, lightning and possible flash floods in Sinai, the Red Sea governorate and southern Upper Egypt through October 11. Officials urged residents to avoid wadi channels and monitor updates as rain, dust-raising winds and dense morning fog are all forecast in the same window.
Egypt's Meteorological Authority (EMA) warned of unstable weather bringing thunderstorms, lightning and the risk of flash floods to several regions of the country starting the weekend of October 10, 2026, according to statements the agency gave to Egyptian news outlets.
Authority spokesperson Manar Ghanem told Al-Shorouk that on Friday, October 9, Egypt had already seen rainfall of varying intensity — heavy at times — particularly over Sinai and the Red Sea region, which caused light flooding in mountainous areas.
What the forecast covers
For Saturday, October 10, the EMA put the probability of thunderstorms at 40 percent in central and southern Sinai, the Red Sea governorate and southern Upper Egypt, according to Masrawy and Al-Watan News. The authority said rainfall in central and southern Sinai and the Red Sea governorate could intensify 'to reach the level of floods.' Lighter rain, with a roughly 10 percent chance, was forecast for Greater Cairo and the northeastern coastal areas, per Masrawy. Egypt Independent, reporting the same day on the Saturday outlook, added that light to moderate rain with occasional evening thunderstorms was expected in the Red Sea region, central and southern Upper Egypt and South Sinai, along with winds strong enough to raise sand and dust in southern Upper Egypt and the eastern desert.
Al-Shorouk reported that the EMA expected the unstable pattern to continue into Sunday, October 11, with a 30 to 40 percent probability of rainfall across southern Upper Egypt, Sinai and the Red Sea, where heavy downpours could again trigger flooding in central and southern Sinai and around the Gulf of Aqaba, accompanied by thunderstorm activity.
Other hazards named alongside the storms
Dense water fog between roughly 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on northern routes, in Greater Cairo, northern Upper Egypt, canal cities and central Sinai, per Masrawy and Al-Watan News
Winds of 30–35 km/h over Greater Cairo and stronger gusts beneath thunderclouds, per Al-Shorouk
Sand and dust storms affecting central and southern Sinai, southern Upper Egypt and the eastern deserts, per multiple outlets
EMA forecast by date (as reported October 10, 2026)
Date
Main hazard
Regions named
Oct 9
Rain, locally heavy; light flooding
Sinai, Red Sea region
Oct 10
Thunderstorms (40% chance); possible flood-level rain; evening thunderstorms and dust-raising winds
Central/South Sinai, Red Sea governorate, southern Upper Egypt, South Sinai, eastern desert
Oct 11
Rain (30–40% chance); flooding risk
Southern Upper Egypt, Sinai, Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba
Official safety guidance
According to Al-Watan News and Masrawy, the EMA urged residents and drivers to avoid wadi channels and other flood-prone low-lying areas, to exercise caution while driving during the early-morning fog, and to follow the authority's periodic bulletins given the rapid atmospheric changes. The agency also called on 'concerned parties and citizens' to take precautions against the forecast lightning, floods and wind hazards.
Questions
Which parts of Egypt are most at risk from the current storms?
The Egyptian Meteorological Authority named central and southern Sinai, the Red Sea governorate, southern Upper Egypt and the Gulf of Aqaba area as the zones most likely to see flood-level rain and thunderstorms between October 9 and 11, 2026.
Did the authority warn specifically about lightning?
Yes. The EMA told Al-Watan News and Masrawy that lightning strikes were expected to accompany the thundercloud activity forecast for the same period.
What should residents do during the warning period?
Officials asked people to avoid wadi channels and low-lying flood-prone areas, drive carefully during the dense early-morning fog, and keep checking the authority's updated bulletins, according to Al-Watan News and Masrawy.
Is Greater Cairo included in the flood warnings?
Cairo was given only a roughly 10 percent chance of rain in the EMA's October 10 outlook reported by Masrawy, with winds of 30–35 km/h expected there rather than the flood-level rainfall forecast for Sinai and the Red Sea.
How long is the unstable weather expected to last?
Based on the authority's statements to Al-Shorouk, Masrawy and Al-Watan News, the warnings covered rain and thunderstorm activity from October 9 through October 11, 2026, with Egypt Independent separately confirming details of the October 10 forecast; officials stressed that forecasts were being updated daily.
How the world is telling it
ArabicEgyptian outlets such as Al-Shorouk, Masrawy and Al-Watan News framed the story as a practical civil-safety alert, quoting the Meteorological Authority's spokesperson directly and focusing on flood-prone regions, fog hours and driving precautions rather than on dramatic lightning imagery.
This piece was prepared with artificial intelligence and passed an automated source check before publication. If you see an error, ask for a correction. Request a correction or reply · How we make this
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