Heads up: Alexandria and the northern coast gear up for the drenching 'Sweeper' storm

CAIRO – 14 November 2024: Alexandria and coastal provinces along the Mediterranean are gearing up to welcome the prominent winter guest, the Maknasa (the Sweeper) storm, which is set to blow from Saturday to Wednesday.

Brace yourself for strong winds and heavy rainfall as this seasonal visitor makes its way over. With this event on the horizon, these cities are prepping for sudden climate changes, ensuring they've got all the necessary precautions in place to dodge any losses.

The Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA) has just dropped the forecast for the upcoming days, hinting at varying intensities of rain starting this Saturday and persisting for about 4 days.

Maknasa is infamous for drenching rains coupled with storms and vigorous northwesterly winds.

After the Maknasa storm bids adieu, the next big thing to look out for is the Rest of Maknasa storm, kicking off specifically on the 11 November for another 4-day stretch. These will bring along more rain and a touch of southwestern winds.

The weather experts are warning of intermittent showers of varying intensity along the northwestern coastal regions next week, alongside sporadic wind gusts across the board and an increase in mist density.

But hold onto your umbrellas, because the Maknasa and its sidekick storm are just the beginning! Here's a sneak peek at the yearly storm lineup in Egypt's Alexandria and their upcoming dates this year, straight from the Alexandria Port Authority:

- Qasem Storm: Starting 4 December for 5 days with storms and southwestern winds.

* Al Faida Al Soghra Storm: Starting 19 December for 5 days with heavy rain and northwesterly winds.

- Christmas Storm: Starting 28 December for 2 days with heavy rain and westerly winds.

* Ras Al-Sana (The New Year) Storm: Starting 2 January, 2025, for 4 days with rain and westerly winds.

- Al Faida Al Kobra Storm: Starting 12 January, 2025, for 6 days with heavy rain and southwestern winds.

* Al Ghetas Storm: Starting 19 January, 2025, for 3 days with rain and westerly winds.

- Al Karam (Generosity) Storm: Starting 28 January, 2025, for 7 days with heavy rain and westerly winds.

* Al Shams Al Sagheera (Little Sun) Storm: Starting 18 February, 2025, for 3 days with rain and northwesterly winds.

- Salloum Storm: Starting 2 March, 2025, for 2 days with rain and southwestern winds.

* Al Hossoum Storm: Starting 9 March, 2025, for 7 days with mostly rainy spells and easterly winds.

- Al Shams Al Kabeera (Big Sun) Storm: Starting 18 March, 2025, for 2 days with mostly rainy weather and easterly winds.

* Al Ouah – Bard El-Agouza Storm: Starting 24 March, 2025, for 6 days with mostly rainy weather and easterly winds.