For the zone as a whole, average monthly temperatures during the cold season are approximately 55 F (13 C). To determine whether a location has an arid climate, the precipitation threshold is determined. "I call it cheating because they don't really experience the limitations of a desert," DeNardo said. Where is the hottest place on Earth and what's the highest - The Sun On the plateau and on the plains beneath the mountains, small bushlike vegetation occurs: Echinochloa (a type of succulent grass found in warm regions), yellowwood bean caper, winter fat (a shrub covered with densely matted hairs), nitre bush, and bushlike halophytic vegetation. Much of the geographic study of the Gobi since then was undertaken by Soviet investigators; the Chinese and Mongolians, however, have become increasingly active since the 1960s. A fair number of the livestock consists of two-humped Bactrian camels, still used for transportation in some areas. Annuals are referred to as ephemerals because some can complete an entire life cycle in weeks. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. And as autumn rolls in, the Sahara Desert also becomes much more manageable. The Sahara has a dry, tropical climate that provides for mild winters. Harry is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. On some occasions, temperatures as low as 36F(-33 C) have been reported. And if youre looking for some cooler areas, head to the coastal cities of Essaouira and Tangier or the peaks of the High Atlas Mountains. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In the higher elevations of the zone, the lows approximate those of more northerly, subtropical regions. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. An Sfra known as The Gateway to the Desert is around 3,280 feet above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains. Air with high humidity also requires more energy to heat up, meaning it also takes more time for that energy to dissipate and for the surroundings to cool down. The summers are hot. While some travellers avoid travelling during Ramadan as some businesses shut down, its a great time to visit if youre interested in different cultures and religions. Monsoonlike conditions exist in the eastern regions, which receive most of their precipitation in summer. If youre a jazz fan, you cant miss this international jazz festival. This story was updated at 5:00 AM ET on Feb. 22 to fix a Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion. Since desert conditions are so severe, the plants that live there need to have adaptations to compensate for the lack of water. Snow also fell in Lebanon, Syria and Iran where some regions were buried under four feet. Despite these rapid temperature swings, desert animals are well adapted for the desert's extreme temperature changes. This open-air festival celebrates Africas diverse nomadic cultures. The hot summer nights are especially magical with lively markets and events. A desert is actually just a place that has very little precipitation. If you have questions about licensing content on this page, please contact ngimagecollection@natgeo.com for more information and to obtain a license. Many rivers flow only in summer. On January 10, locals in the mountainous region were treated to a flurry of snow. Get ready for it: June is the start of summer in the Sahara, the driest desert in the world. The climate is acutely continental and dry: winter is severe, spring is dry and cold, and summer is warm. Both deserts have fossil evidence suggesting that this was not always true. See more current weather Annual Weather Averages in Asyut Airport What is the climate of the Sahara Desert? The main occupation of the inhabitants is nomadic cattle raising, though agriculture is predominant in regions where the Chinese are concentrated. THE SAHARA desert has been hit by an icy blast with temperatures dipping below freezing. To help you decide when to travel to Morocco and the Sahara Desert, read our month-by-month guide to discover the weather and the best events throughout the year. Desert insects include flies, malaria-carrying Anopheles mosquitoes, fleas, lice, roaches, ants, termites, beetles, and mantids (predatory insects that camouflage themselves as leaves, twigs, or pebbles). In the cities, it will typically be sunny and cool, but theres also a good chance of rain. Whether you want to go hiking, cycling, or quad biking, March is a great month to do it. The best time for skiing in Morocco falls from mid-January to mid-February.