Algeria Weather in February

As winter ends progressively in Algeria in February, the temperatures rise a little, especially in the late half month, but experience fluctuations sometimes. In consideration of the diverse landforms, Algeria weather in February also shows regional differences: the northern coastlands are chilly and the central plateau areas are a little cold, while the southern deserts are warm during daytime. As for the precipitation, it is high in the north and scarce in the south. Combining the above factors, it is not a good time to visit Algeria unless your destination is the Sahara in the south.

Temperature: Gradual Rise with Fluctuations

The northern Algiers experiences the daytime high temperatures around 13 - 23 degrees Celsius (55 - 73 degrees Fahrenheit) and the low degrees about 9 - 17℃ (48 - 63℉), so the northern Algeria climate in February is chilly for visitors to stroll along the Algiers Port. The southern deserts have the similar night temperatures, but the daily max temperatures are much higher, mostly ranging from 21 to 31℃ (70 - 88℉), a pleasant range for desert hiking.

Meanwhile, a considerable day-night temperature difference could not only be seen in the south but also in mountain areas. For instance, in Constantine, the temperatures during daytime usually swing between 10 and 19℃ (50 - 66℉) and fall to the range of 2 - 9℃ (36 - 48℉) at night. It means the slight coldness is aggravated after sunsets and thicker clothes are needed.

In this month, strong winds hit occasionally; it might reach force 4 - 6 in some years and visitors can feel obvious resistance when walking outside. Most of time, they are accompanied by rain in northern cities, which brings down the perceived temperatures, leading to significant temperature fluctuations within a few days. While in the south, the winds not only bring down the temperature, but also blow up sands and might lead to dusty days even sandstorms.

Precipitation: Much Rainfall in the North, Rare in the South 

The precipitation shows a downward trend, and is unevenly distributed across the country, mainly concentrated in the northern part, so the climate of northern Algeria in February remains rainy. Take the coastal city Algiers as the example, it receives the average precipitation of 82 mm (3.23 in) in February. There are about 10 days with some rainfall, but luckily, consistent rain for the whole day is not common. The precipitation in plateau areas is moderate and mostly in forms of light rainfall. Snow drizzles are still possible in this month in some mountainous cities, but rare. The south sees extremely low monthly rainfall averaging around 2 mm (0.08 in) that can be ignored.

Increasing Daylength

From the beginning to the end of February, the daytime increases about 0.5 - 1 hours and ranges from 10.5 to 11.5 hours across Algeria as the sun rises earlier and earlier at about 7:50 - 7:00 and sets later and later at 18:10 - 18:50. The sunlight time also experiences an increase about 1 hour correspondingly; in detail, the northern part enjoys 7 hours of sunshine per day on average and the southern part is about 10 hours thanks to the scarce rainfall in deserts. In view of the long sunshine hours, the weather of Algeria in February can be called sunny, particularly for its south. 

Though the sunlight in northern Algeria is not very strong, much attention should be paid to deserts areas whose UV index has come to the high level 6 - 8, which makes sunscreen products indispensable. Otherwise, it is highly possible that visitors get sunburnt after long-time desert exploration.

Is February a Good Time to Visit Algeria?

To be honest, February is not a good time to visit most destinations in Algeria yet. As mentioned above, the unfavorable weather condition is the biggest challenge. In the north, the low temperatures imply that most seashore activities like taking a sunbathe at the beach are too cold to conduct; frequent rain might influence your mood and travel schedule as well. In addition, it is predicted that Ramadan (the month of fast) in 2027 starts around middle February in Algeria. During this period, there are a lot of taboos that visitors need to pay special attention to, thus bringing you some inconvenience.

Whereas, the Sahara in the south is a good destination to visit in February since this month still belongs to the cool season of desert areas. With warm daytime and not extreme UV index, you could have a pleasant desert tour. The following tips also help to improve your travel experiences.

Tips for Dressing in Algeria in February

Upper body: In coastal cities, the inner layer could be shirts, knit wear and hoodies, topped with trench coats or leather jackets. In mountain areas, change the out layer into thicker ones like woolen coats and fleece-lined jackets; hats and scarves could protect you from strong winds. But for deserts, T-shirts and sunscreen coats become necessary around noon, while 3-in-1 windbreakers should also be prepared to deal with chilly mornings and late evenings. 

Lower body: Common trousers like jeans and sweatpants are warm enough in most time, but due to temperature fluctuations, you should bring long johns, padded trousers or thick jacket pants for colder areas and times.

Shoes: Anti-slippery and water-resistant sneakers are the best choices for visiting rainy northern cities. You can wear high-top walking boots instead when heading to deserts. Or, prepare some portable shoe covers to prevent both sand and rain.

Others: Sunblock alone could work well in northern and central Algeria, but for the south, sunglasses and sunhats are needed. Raingear like umbrella and raincoat is the must for the north and skin-care products are important in the desert areas. 

Tips for Visiting Algeria in February

1. During Ramadan of 2027, public institutions like the shopping mall and bank shorten the service time to half day, then reopen after sunset, so you had better check the specific opening situation and advance or delay your relevant schedule accordingly. Besides, most local restaurants keep closed or just provide take-away service during daytime and open at night. It is suggested to prepare some fast food like cookies for your day trip, but do avoid eating in public or in front of the local residents. Then, be mentally prepared for the traffic jams at dawn and leave enough time for transfer.

2. Before going to visit deserts in February, be sure to check weather forecast and sandstorm warning. Even if it is free from sandstorm, you are advised to wear masks and prepare relevant medicines if you have respiratory diseases like asthma.