🇸🇦Saudi Arabia
2 cities
Climate overview
Saudi Arabia (approximately 2,150,000 km²) occupies 80% of the Arabian Peninsula between 16°–32°N, bordered by the Red Sea (1,800 km coastline) to the west and the Persian Gulf (560 km coastline) to the east, encompassing one of Earth's most extreme climate zones.
The kingdom spans diverse topography: the hyperarid Rub' al Khali (Empty Quarter) covering over 650,000 km² as one of the world's largest continuous sand deserts with summer ground temperatures exceeding 70°C; the coastal Tihamah lowlands along the Red Sea averaging 65 km width with oppressive year-round humidity; the Asir Highlands in the southwest reaching 3,015 m at Jabal Sawda with relatively temperate microclimates and terraced agriculture; and the central Najd plateau descending eastward from 1,360 m to 750 m.
The climate is predominantly Köppen BWh (hot desert) with mean annual temperatures ranging from 24°C in northern highlands to 29°C along the Persian Gulf coast, where extreme humidity creates dangerous heat stress conditions. Annual precipitation averages below 100 mm across 95% of the country, concentrated in brief November–January winter storms, though the Asir Mountains receive up to 300 mm supporting unique montane ecosystems.
Riyadh (central Najd, 612 m) averages 8°C in January and 36°C in July with 97 mm annual precipitation; summer maxima routinely exceed 45°C. Jeddah (Red Sea coast) registers 24°C in January and 32°C in July with 52 mm rainfall but year-round crushing humidity. The November 2009 Jeddah floods dropped 90 mm in four hours, causing 122 deaths, destroying 3,000+ vehicles, and $270 million damage when eleven wadis overwhelmed drainage infrastructure.
November 2022 Jeddah floods killed two more. Dammam (Persian Gulf) records 14°C and 37°C with 81 mm. Abha (Asir Highlands, 2,200 m) enjoys 11°C and 23°C with 278 mm. Tabuk reaches 8–32°C with 36 mm. The June 2024 Hajj heatwave (51°C+) killed over 1,300 pilgrims. Shamal dust storms (March–June, Sept–Nov) reduce visibility significantly. The Red Sea warms at 0.17°C/decade, bleaching coral reefs.
Our archive covers 2 Saudi Arabian cities with daily ERA5 reanalysis data going back to 1940. The warmest July averages occur in Riyadh, around 42.1°C, while Riyadh records the coldest January nights near 7.2°C. Comparing the last decade against the 1940–1970 baseline, mean temperatures across these cities have risen by about 2.4°C.
How the climate has shifted in Saudi Arabia
Average across 2 cities with full ERA5 coverage — 1940–1970 baseline vs the last decade (2016–2025).
- Annual mean temperature
- 25.8°C→28.2°C
- Days above 30°C per year
- 212 days→241 days+29
- Frost days per year
- 1 days→0 days−1
- Tropical nights (≥20°C) per year
- 234 nights→273 nights+39
What's unusual right now
From a snapshot of the world's largest cities updated each hour. Today's mean temperature compared with each city's long-term average for the same calendar date (ERA5 climatology, 1940 onward). Last 30 days uses each city's rolling daily-mean vs its monthly normal. Not a global ranking.
Warmer than usual
Cooler than usual
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