COMIC: Temps are predicted to hit 106 in Egypt this week. How do people stay cool?

NPR | By Malaka Gharib

Published July 25, 2026 at 4:05 AM AKDT

My dad, who lives in Cairo, told me the heat this summer has been punishing.

I asked how hot it was. He said 39 degrees.

"What's that in Fahrenheit?" I wondered.

He said "Hot!"

I looked it up. It's 102. And next week's forecast: a high of 106.

In the '90s, when I was in elementary school, I'd spend my summers with my dad. Back then, air conditioners weren't as ubiquitous as they are now. It was hot, but I coped. In this age of extreme heat, i wonder: How are Egyptians getting by?

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Malaka Gharib

Malaka Gharib is the digital editor of the NPR podcast Life Kit. Previously, she was the deputy editor and digital strategist on NPR's global health and development team, where she covered topics such as the refugee crisis, gender equality and women's health. Her work as part of NPR's reporting teams has been recognized with two Gracie Awards: in 2019 for How To Raise A Human, a series on global parenting, and in 2015 for #15Girls, a series that profiled teen girls around the world.