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Port Sudan occupies a strategic position on Sudan's northeastern coast along the Red Sea, serving as the nation's principal maritime gateway and second-largest city despite its administrative classification under Khartoum State. The city sprawls across a narrow coastal plain backed by the arid Red Sea Hills, which rise abruptly to the west, creating a dramatic urban–rural gradient where the built environment transitions rapidly into barren desert landscapes. Situated at an elevation of just 13 meters above sea level, Port Sudan's low-lying topography traps pollutants, while its location on a natural harbor amplifies maritime influences. The surrounding terrain consists of rocky outcrops and sandy plains, with minimal vegetation except in irrigated urban pockets, allowing desert dust to sweep unimpeded across the region. Proximity to the Red Sea introduces high humidity that interacts with emissions, while the absence of significant agricultural zones or dense industrial belts beyond the port itself concentrates pollution sources in the urban core. This geographic setting—a coastal desert city flanked by hills and sea—creates a microclimate where sea breezes occasionally disperse pollutants but more often, stagnant air conditions prevail, exacerbating the accumulation of port emissions, vehicle exhaust, and resuspended road dust in the urban basin.

Port Sudan's air quality follows a distinct seasonal rhythm shaped by its hot desert climate and Red Sea influences. During winter (December to February), cooler temperatures and moderate northeasterly winds from the sea provide some dispersion of pollutants, though occasional temperature inversions can trap emissions near the surface, making mornings particularly hazy. Spring (March to May) marks the onset of peak pollution months, as rising temperatures combine with frequent sandstorms blowing from the western deserts; these events dramatically elevate particulate levels, creating hazardous conditions that persist through early summer. Summer (June to August) brings extreme heat and high humidity, which react with shipping and vehicle emissions to form secondary pollutants, while reduced wind speeds limit dispersion—June often sees the worst air quality due to this stagnation. Autumn (September to November) offers gradual relief as temperatures drop and sporadic rainfall may briefly settle dust, though drought conditions typically limit this effect. Sensitive groups, including those with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, should avoid outdoor activities from March through June, especially during sandstorm alerts, and prioritize indoor air filtration. The most favourable periods for outdoor exertion are late autumn and winter, when pollution levels are relatively lower, though year-round vigilance is advised due to the city's persistent baseline emissions.