<P> Owing to Africa's position across equatorial and subtropical latitudes in both the northern and southern hemisphere, several different climate types can be found within it . The continent mainly lies within the intertropical zone between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn . Hence, it's interesting density of humidity intensity is always high, and it is a hot continent . Warm and hot climates prevail all over Africa, but the northern part is that most marked by aridity and high temperatures . Only the northernmost and the southernmost fringes of the continent have a Mediterranean climate. The equator runs through the middle of Africa, as do the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, making Africa the most tropical continent . </P> <P> The climate of Africa is a range of climates such as the equatorial climate, the tropical wet and dry climate, the tropical monsoon climate, the semi-desert climate (semi-arid), the desert climate (hyper - arid and arid), the subtropical highland climate etc . Temperate climates are rare across the continent except at very high elevations and along the fringes . In fact, the climate of Africa is more variable by rainfall amount than by temperatures, which are consistently high . African deserts are the sunniest and the driest parts of the continent, owing to the prevailing presence of the subtropical ridge with subsiding, hot, dry air masses . Africa holds many heat - related records: the continent has the hottest extended region year - round, the areas with the hottest summer climate, the highest sunshine duration etc . </P> <P> Globally, heating of the earth near the equator leads to large amounts of upward motion and convection along the monsoon trough or Intertropical Convergence Zone . The divergence over the near - equatorial trough leads to air rising and moving away from the equator aloft . As it moves towards the Mid-Latitudes, the air cools and sinks, which leads to subsidence near the 30th parallel of both hemispheres . This circulation is known as the Hadley cell and leads to the formation of the subtropical ridge . Many of the world's deserts are caused by these climatological high - pressure areas, including the Sahara Desert . </P>

What is the climate in the african desert