Thursday, March 26, 2026

Egypt Storm 2026: Thunderstorms, hail , heavy rain as well as Nuclear Rumors

And so, it turned out to be one last winter storm—not the beginning of a nuclear winter, as many online in Egypt feared on Tuesday.

In case you missed it, Egypt is currently experiencing a brief period of unstable weather, including thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) had issued early warnings, stating that the wave would begin on Tuesday evening, bringing rain, slightly cooler temperatures, and stronger winds across several regions before gradually improving by the weekend.

According to the EMA, the instability would start along the northwestern coast—including Salloum, Matrouh, and Alamein—before spreading to the Nile Valley and Sinai.

Rainfall was expected to intensify on Wednesday and Thursday, becoming more widespread and occasionally accompanied by thunderstorms, particularly along the northern coast, the northern Delta, and parts of Sinai. Lighter showers were forecast to reach Greater Cairo and the Canal cities.

For once, the Egyptian government took a proactive step, suspending classes in schools and universities on Wednesday and Thursday to spare millions of Egyptians the usual traffic chaos.

Ironically, Tuesday itself felt like a calm, early-spring day across the country.

That calm, however, fueled suspicion. Some began to believe something more sinister was coming—and within hours, that suspicion evolved into a full-blown conspiracy theory, amplified by a video from the Kuwait National Guard.

In the video, the Kuwait National Guard reassured the public that “radiation from neighboring countries does not pose any threat to Kuwait.”

It explained that the nearest advanced nuclear reactor—located in Iran—is more than 240 kilometers away, a distance considered sufficient to significantly reduce any potential impact.

The statement added that most radioactive materials would dissipate before reaching Kuwait’s borders and emphasized that all precautionary measures were in place, urging residents to remain calm.

Days earlier, Kuwaiti media had circulated photos and videos showcasing the country’s nuclear shelters.

Following the targeting of Iranian and Israeli nuclear facilities in March 2026, Kuwait reportedly prepared 196 shelter centers, along with emergency shelters in the Ministries Complex, to protect against potential radioactive leaks.

It also emerged that Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia have similar facilities—raising a lingering question: would they be accessible in time, and for everyone?

At the same time, reports emerged that Russia was evacuating its Rosatom personnel from nuclear facilities in Iran—a move that appears logical following Israeli strikes targeting such sites.

The officials in Iran and the IAEA say there has been no radiation leak or meltdown of any kind. 

Back in Cairo, the early hours of Wednesday were filled with wild theories starting with the question: Did the Israelis do something at the Bushehr Nuclear Plant? 

The rumours and conspiracy theories grew loud enough to prompt the Egyptian Cabinet’s Media Centre to step in on Wednesday, addressing the speculation and clarifying reports of any potential radioactive leakage affecting Egypt amid ongoing regional developments.

The center stated that, following coordination with the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority, there are no indicators of any change or increase in radiation levels within the country.

The authority confirmed that radiation levels are being monitored around the clock through a nationwide early warning and detection system equipped with the latest technology and deployed across Egypt.

It also noted that nuclear facilities in the region are being continuously tracked in line with developments, based on reports issued by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The center further urged citizens to rely on official sources for accurate information.

But soon enough, the center did not need to republish the statement because the EMA was proven right.

What followed was exactly what had been forecast: heavy rain and thunderstorms across much of the country.


These weather shifts are typical for March, as Egypt transitions from winter to spring—a season often marked by sudden temperature changes, intermittent rain, and gusty winds. 

Here’s a dramatic, mini–Jurassic Park–style video from Egypt’s underrated Geological Museum.

Egyptian spring is, after all, synonymous with dust storms, especially the Khamsin.

Here is a time-lapse of the Great Pyramid of Giza by Ahmed Sameh, showing the storm passing by.

There were also the gloomy clouds over the Cairo Citadel by Youssef Ossama.

Cairo Citadel by Youssef Ossama.

This time, however, the storm brought more than just rain. Hail fell across Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, and other areas.

Rare view of hail in Al-Ashraf Mosque's Yard in Al-Muizz Street
by Aya Al-Qady

Some even wondered why Egypt didn’t get “European-style snow.” 

Northern Cemetery of Cairo, Cairo Urban Studio
          Hail in the courtyard of the Khanqah of Faraj ibn Barquq.

The answer lies largely in geography—we live in the Nile Valley, where such conditions are rare.

A garden full of hail in Sheikh Zayed

That said, there were unusual moments. Snow reportedly fell on the Mokattam hills—commonly referred to as the Mokattam “mountain”.

Seeing snow near landmarks like the dome of Al-Sayeda Nafissa Mosque is exceptional by any standard.

Snow on the dome of Al-Sayeda Nafissa Mosque by Shady Khaireldin
Snow on the dome of Al-Sayeda Nafissa Mosque by Shady Khaireldin 

Typically, the only place in Egypt that regularly sees real snowfall is Saint Catherine's Mountain, which also received its share during this wave.

Saint Catherine Mount by Mohamed Harb

Meanwhile, in Alexandria, scenes of delivery workers—“pilots,” as they are locally nicknamed—braving the storm captured the resilience of everyday life.

It is worth noting that Egypt had already experienced an unusually dry winter. 

In Marsa Matrouh, where communities depend on seasonal rainfall, residents even performed Salat al-Istisqa—the traditional prayer for rain.

Recent rainfall has yielded significant water collection: around 500,000 cubic meters in total, including 400,000 in Sinai and 100,000 in Matrouh.

Sinai’s flood protection system alone includes roughly 300 facilities—dams, canals, lakes, reservoirs, and barriers—with a total capacity of about 46 million cubic meters.

Still, not all infrastructure held up. As usual, parts of New Cairo were flooded once again—a now familiar and frustrating scene, especially in what is supposed to be one of the city’s most modern districts.

Here is Street 90 South, aka New Cairo's famous "Financial District Street".

New Cairo and its infrastructure are amazing examples of Mubarak's corruption.

And this may not be over yet. This was only the first wave of instability, with a second expected by Saturday.

Watching the storm unfold, it is hard not to think of those in Gaza—people facing the same harsh weather without proper shelter or protection.

We should also be deeply concerned about the risk of a nuclear meltdown—whether in Iran or Israel—because, regardless of shelters or preparedness, the consequences would be devastating across the entire Middle East.

A nuclear meltdown is not just a local incident; it can release significant amounts of radiation, contaminate the environment, and create long-term health and ecological crises that last for decades.

That is why this war must stop. It is difficult to understand where the voices of reason and wisdom in the world are, or why they are not acting decisively to halt this escalation before it is too late.

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