Sudan Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Khartoum, Omdurman, Khartoum North, Port Sudan, and Kassala
Summary
Sudan recorded its hottest July on record, with mean temperatures soaring to 32.6°C, an extraordinary 3.1°C above the 1961-1990 baseline. The unprecedented heat delivered relentless thermal stress across the nation, placing Sudan among a cluster of Sahelian countries enduring record-breaking mid-year conditions. This spike arrives alongside a moderate El Niño forecast to peak at Very Strong in Oct-Dec, with relentless heat expected to linger through late summer.
This month in numbers
Sudan experienced its 1st warmest July in 87 years of records in 2026, setting a new all-time high with an average temperature of 32.6°C that stood 3.1°C above the 1961-1990 baseline. The 3-month May-July average reached 32.61°C, an anomaly of +2.4°C that ranks as the 2nd highest May-July period in data back to 1940. Globally, land temperatures for the month reached 15.8°C, which sits +1.6°C above baseline as the 3rd warmest July on record.
What changed
The May-July season maintained severe heat across Sudan, finishing 2.4°C above baseline as the 2nd hottest such period on record behind only 2024. This extended warm spell reflects Sudan's longer-term warming trend of +1.44°C over historical averages, which saw 2023 mark the hottest year on record at 28.39°C and 2025 rank 7th at 27.77°C. Globally, the 3-month land temperature anomaly of +1.5°C was also the 2nd warmest on record, underscoring how regional heat in North Africa aligns with wider planetary warming.
What’s driving change?
The extreme heat in Sudan is driven by and , where parched ground limits evaporative cooling and delays seasonal rainfall relief. On a broader scale, atmospheric trends demonstrate that . Meanwhile, the tropical Pacific is experiencing a moderate El Niño, tracked on our live dashboard at ENSO. While El Niño can influence Sahelian weather, historical data shows only a modest, inconsistent tendency toward hotter and drier summer conditions in Sudan.
Looking ahead
Seasonal forecasts indicate an 81% probability of El Niño peaking at Very Strong in Oct-Dec, suggesting that elevated temperatures and suppressed rainfall could continue to pressure water supplies and agriculture across the region through late autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – Global
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance (countries & continents) · Met Office (UK) · US states & climate regions. Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Sudan
Köppen BWh · AridSudan has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. June is typically the warmest month, averaging 32.5°C, while January is the coldest at 20.5°C. Annual precipitation averages around 287mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly precipitation.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Sudan
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Heatwave Days – Sudan
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Sudan
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Monthly Temperature – Sudan
Latest month is provisional and may be revised by the data provider in the next update cycle.
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Records – Sudan
Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridSudan has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±5.1°C) and a wet/dry cycle (38× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly precipitation climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Nov (-11 mm, -75%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (precipitation: GPCC (DWD); frost: World Bank CCKP).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Sudan
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Country-level temperature anomaly, sourced from Copernicus ERA5 and Hadley HadCRUT5.
Annual country and global CO₂ emissions, from the Global Carbon Project.
Monthly rainfall - Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD) preferred, World Bank CCKP/CRU TS fallback where GPCC lacks direct coverage.
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Sudan changing?
Sudan is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Sudan?
Sudan has a arid climate (Köppen BWh: Hot desert), with both a warm/cold cycle and a wet/dry cycle through the year. June is typically the warmest month, averaging 32.5°C, while January is the coldest at 20.5°C. Annual precipitation averages around 287mm, concentrated mostly in the wet season.
Where does the climate data for Sudan come from?
Climate data for Sudan comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Sudan climate data cover?
The Sudan climate profile covers Khartoum, Omdurman, Khartoum North, Port Sudan and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Sudan
How often is the Sudan climate update refreshed?
The Sudan climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Sudan climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Sudan climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.