Updated · Saudi Arabia Taxi Services
Saudi weather by month: the big picture
Saudi weather by month changes more by region than many visitors expect. The country is large, and the holy cities, the Red Sea and Gulf coasts, the central plateau, the south-western mountains and the north each follow their own pattern. Summers are hot almost everywhere except the highlands, and winters are mild by day with cool to cold nights.
The descriptions and figures here are rounded, typical conditions, not records or forecasts. Check a forecast for your dates before you travel, especially for mountain trips and desert sites.
Month by month at a glance
| Month | Makkah and Jeddah | Madinah | Riyadh and Dammam | Taif, Abha, Al Bahah | North and AlUla |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Warm days, mild nights; rain possible | Mild days, cool nights | Mild days, cold nights | Mild days, cold nights | Cool days, cold nights; frost possible in places |
| February | Warm days, mild nights | Mild days, cool nights | Mild days, cool nights | Mild days, cold nights | Cool days, cold nights |
| March | Warm to hot days | Warm days, mild nights | Warm days; dust possible | Mild days, cool nights | Mild days, cool nights |
| April | Hot days | Warm to hot days | Warm to hot; dusty spells | Mild days; showers possible | Warm days, cool nights |
| May | Very hot | Hot | Hot; dusty spells | Warm days, cool nights | Hot days, mild nights |
| June | Very hot; humid in Jeddah | Very hot and dry | Very hot; humid in Dammam | Warm days, cooler evenings | Very hot days |
| July | Very hot; humid in Jeddah | Very hot and dry | Very hot; humid in Dammam | Warm days; fog or showers possible | Very hot days |
| August | Very hot; humid in Jeddah | Very hot and dry | Very hot; humid in Dammam | Warm days; fog or showers possible | Very hot days |
| September | Very hot; humid in Jeddah | Very hot | Hot; humid in Dammam | Warm days, cool nights | Hot days, cooler nights |
| October | Hot days | Hot days, warm nights | Warm to hot days, cooler nights | Mild days, cool nights | Warm days, cool nights |
| November | Warm to hot days; rain possible | Warm days, mild nights | Mild days, cool nights | Mild days, cool to cold nights | Mild days, cold nights |
| December | Warm days, mild nights; rain possible | Mild days, cool nights | Mild days, cold nights | Mild days, cold nights | Cool days, cold nights; frost possible in places |
Makkah and Jeddah: dry heat inland, humid on the coast
Makkah is hot and dry for much of the year. Summer afternoons are typically above 40 °C, and even winter days are usually around 30 °C. Jeddah, on the Red Sea, is a little less extreme in temperature but humid, especially in summer, so the heat feels heavy.
Rain is rare, but heavy showers can come in the cooler months and flood roads quickly in both cities. If rain is forecast, allow extra time for airport and Haram runs.
Madinah: hot summers, cool winter nights
Madinah sits inland and higher than Makkah. Summer afternoons are typically above 40 °C and very dry. Winter days are mild, and nights can be cool enough for a light jacket at Fajr. Ziyarat sites such as Mount Uhud are best visited early, before the heat builds.
Riyadh and the Eastern Province
Riyadh has a desert climate: very hot, dry summers, typically above 40 °C, and mild winter days around 20 °C with cold nights. Dust storms are more common in spring and early summer and can cut visibility on the highways. Winter is the season for the Edge of the World and for Riyadh Season, which usually runs from October to March.
Dammam, Al Khobar and Dhahran on the Gulf coast are as hot as Riyadh in summer but much more humid. Winter there is mild and suits the Corniche and Half Moon Bay.
The cooler highlands: Taif, Abha and Al Bahah
The mountains of the south-west are the classic summer escape. Taif is around 10 °C cooler than Makkah in summer, and the Makkah to Taif taxi takes about 1 h 30 min up the Al Hada road. Around Abha, fog often rolls into Al Soudah by the afternoon, so bring a jacket even in summer. Winter nights in all three areas are cold. Taif's rose harvest usually falls in March and April.
The north and AlUla: cold winter nights
AlUla, Tabuk, Ha'il, Al Jouf and the northern border towns have hot summers and cold winter nights; in AlUla, winter nights can drop into single figures °C. October to March is the main visitor season for AlUla's heritage sites, and the AlUla winter season usually runs from December to March. Snow occasionally falls on the highest mountains near Tabuk. From Madinah, the drive to AlUla takes about 3 h 30 min.
What does the weather mean for your transport?
- Summer: plan Ziyarat and sightseeing for early morning or late afternoon, and keep walks at midday short. Our vehicles are air-conditioned.
- Elderly pilgrims: in the hot months, a taxi to the nearest drop point saves a long walk in the sun.
- Winter: pack a warm layer for desert evenings, mountain trips and early Fajr in Madinah.
- Rain: allow extra time for airport runs in Jeddah and Makkah when rain is forecast.
- Dust: on dusty days, long highway drives may be slower as the driver adjusts the pace.
- Fog: mountain roads around Abha and Al Namas can be foggy on summer mornings, so allow extra time.