Algeria's Temperature Extremes: 51.3°C to –10°C

Algeria's vast territory (largest in Africa) spans Mediterranean coast to deep Sahara, producing extreme records:

• Highest: 51.3°C (124.3°F) — Ouargla (Saharan oasis), July 5, 2018 (modern record; earlier 1922 claim unverified).
• Lowest: –10°C (14°F) — Batna (Aurès Mountains, 1,000 m elevation), January 28, 1905.

Context

• Coastal Algiers: mild Mediterranean (5–30°C typical).
• High plateaus (Constantine, Tizi Ouzou): winter snow, sub-zero nights.
• Deep Sahara (Tamanrasset, Djanet): summer 45–50°C common; winter nights near freezing.

Climate Change Signal

Algeria's 2018 record aligns with Saharan warming trend (+1.5–2°C since 1970). Heatwaves are longer, more frequent, threatening agriculture, water, and habitability in marginal zones.