Climate and Weather of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia experiences a hot, arid desert climate, with very high temperatures prevalent across most regions. However, each area in Saudi Arabia experiences its own unique temperature variations. Typically, the country witnesses blisteringly hot temperatures in the summer, which persist not only during the day but frequently into the night as well.Think of maximum temperatures that average between 40°C and 46°C in June, July and August. Even at night it is still very hot with minima that are somewhere around 30°C. The south has more moderate temperatures at night, which can go as low as 10°C during summer. In winter the temperatures are more moderate during the day, but turning cold at night sometimes descending below freezing.
Most of Saudi Arabia is dry, for example only 111 mm of rainfall is recorded annually in Mecca. The low-lying desert areas and the coastal regions are even more dry. If it is raining, this happens mainly during winter months. The Asir Mountains are clearly wetter than the rest of the country. Here precipitation amounts are measured that are up to 500 mm per year at the highest peaks. Locally, the warm desert climate in this area turns into a warm steppe climate.
Sandstorms can occur on the desert plains and are pretty normal, especially during spring and early summer months. Every year, Saudi Arabia is hit by sandstorms about 12 to 30 times, with the chance in the east being higher than in the rest of the country.
The best time to visit Saudi Arabia is generally from November to March. It is then warm, quite dry and sunny. In the northern areas it can be a bit fresher. Since temperatures are different per region it is wise to check the weather in the city or region you are traveling to before you book your trip.
Are you interested in more detailed information for various cities in Saudi Arabia?
Please select the city you plan to visit, or one closest to your destination. For each selected city, you will see the following graphs:
1. Yearly average minimum and maximum temperatures
2. Monthly averages of precipitation throughout the year (rainfall, snow etc)
3. Monthly average hours of sunshine throughout the year
Additionally, some pages provide historical weather data such as humidity, wind speed, and water temperature.