Weather locations in Saudi-Arabia

Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula and has an almost entirely hot desert climate, with a thin coastal fringe where the sea and vegetation change the picture. Riyadh, the capital in the interior, averages about 14 °C in January and around 30 °C in July, with annual rainfall near 100 millimetres. Jeddah on the Red Sea coast averages about 20 °C in January and close to 30 °C in August. Rain is rare almost everywhere.

Main climate types

Almost the whole country is classed as a hot desert climate, with a narrow band of semi-arid conditions along the southern Red Sea coast and in the far north, where winter rain occasionally reaches. The Red Sea coast is stiflingly humid in summer, while the interior is drier and hotter by day but cools sharply after dark. The shaley desert in the far north shows the largest seasonal swings.

Temperatures

Summers are harsh inland and long along the coast. From June to September, Riyadh averages above 29 °C in July and regularly sees days above 40 °C, while the coastal lowlands of the south-east average in the low 30s °C with high humidity. Winters bring mild days, with January means of about 14 °C in Riyadh and lows near 8 °C. In the far north, temperatures occasionally dip below freezing at night in December and January.

Rainfall

Rainfall is minimal almost everywhere. Riyadh receives about 100 millimetres a year and Jeddah a similar or smaller amount, and the desert interior often records no rain at all across an entire year. Most of what falls comes between November and March, often as violent thunderstorms that briefly flood the wadis. Wind-blown dust and sand are a greater hazard than rainfall, particularly in spring and autumn.

When to go

The months between November and March are most bearable, with daytime temperatures in the mid-20s °C inland and slightly lower humidity on the Red Sea coast. Summer months should be avoided for outdoor activity, especially in the interior. Visitors heading for the Asir and Hejaz mountains will find noticeably cooler conditions at altitude, and those highlands stay green through the winter rains.