The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest hot desert spread over 8.6 million square kilometers in the northern part of Africa. The high summer temperatures, little rains, cold winters, and dry hot winds -- all of them together make Sahara’s weather very harsh and difficult to sustain life. Miraculously human beings along with a few animal, bird and plant species have been able to adapt to the harsh desert conditions and have managed to survive there.
The Sahara desert's climate consists of two different sub-climates -- a subtropical climate in its northern parts, and a tropical one in the southern part. The dry subtropical climate in the Sahara desert, which is caused by a persistent high pressure building up over the Tropic of Cancer, is characterized by very hot summers and cold winters. The annual temperature range is very high. This sub-climate is characterized by two rainy seasons. The dry tropical climate in the Sahara desert, which is caused by a constant continental air mass and an unsteady marine air mass, is characterized by hot and dry summers and milder winters.
The mean annual temperatures in Sahara exceed 30°C. During the hot summers, the temperatures can rise above 50 degree centigrade, while during winters the temperatures can fall below freezing point. The daily temperature variation can range from -0.5 to 37.5 degree centigrade. The harsh weather is further worsened due to hot, dusty winds which make the weather seem even hotter.
The winters are milder in the southern part and much colder in the northern part of the desert. It rains very little in the northern parts but increases gradually down south, with the rainfall being more prominent during the summer months and very light during winters.
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