How often is the red flag raised at Egyptian beaches and the sea closed for swimming?

From messages by 3 participants in 1 source · Last activity: 52 days ago

TL;DR

Red flags do occur periodically in Egypt — the sea can be closed in the morning and reopened around midday. A yellow flag means rough waves but swimming is still allowed.

What the community said

One traveler reported staying Jan 13–23: wind was present but tolerable, and the red flag was never raised during the entire trip.

Jan 13–23, no red flag observed

The red flag was raised again in the morning and the sea was closed, reopening around 1 PM. The next day brought a yellow flag with very strong waves, but swimming was still permitted.

Red flag → closed until ~1 PM

The sea in Egypt is not always calm — red flags do happen, though many tourists expect it to be consistently flat.

There can be a noticeable current near the pier when snorkeling, which may carry swimmers away. This is more common in winter and spring (February); conditions may be calmer in summer.

Pier current — more common in winter/spring