🇾🇪Yemen

Yemen spans 12°–19°N, 42°–54°E across the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, forming one of the climatically most diverse Arab nations with extreme variation from the hyper-arid coastal deserts to monsoon-influenced highlands and the unique Socotra microclimate.

The Tihama coastal plain (BWh) endures severe summer heat and annual rainfall of only around 100–130 mm, while humidity from the Red Sea creates oppressive conditions. The western highlands rise abruptly to 3,666 m at Jabal an-Nabi Shuayb, creating Yemen's agricultural heartland around Sana'a (2,250 m) and Ta'izz where orographic uplift generates from about 250–300 mm of annual rainfall at Sana'a to 1,000–1,500 mm around Ibb and Ta'izz, concentrated in March–May and July–September monsoon pulses from the Indian Ocean.

The eastern plateau transitions into the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert receiving under 50 mm annually. The Hadhramaut valley system experiences extreme aridity punctuated by severe flash floods when rare convective systems stall. Socotra Island (about 380 km off the Arabian mainland) exhibits a distinct microclimate with stronger monsoon influence, unique endemic flora adapted to seasonal fog precipitation, and cyclone vulnerability. The complex topography creates dramatic microclimates: Aden sees daily highs of about 29–37°C through the year with scant rainfall, while highland Sana'a receives about 250–300 mm with far milder temperatures.

Yemen has experienced significant tropical cyclone activity and extreme weather. Cyclone Chapala in November 2015 made the first hurricane-strength landfall on mainland Yemen on record, delivering up to 610 mm of rain to parts of the southern coast around Al Mukalla in 48 hours; with Cyclone Megh a week later, it killed over two dozen people, displaced about 47,000 and damaged infrastructure across Socotra and Hadhramaut.

Cyclone Tej, an extremely severe cyclonic storm at its peak, struck eastern Yemen in October 2023, flooding Al Mahrah and parts of Socotra and killing at least two people. The 2020 floods, which struck Yemen repeatedly from April to August, killed at least 172 people when heavy rainfall overwhelmed wadis, destroying homes and damaging historic buildings and water infrastructure.

Hodeidah's summers pair average highs near 37°C with humidity around 75%. Temperatures are rising while droughts and temperature extremes intensify.

Our archive covers 7 Yemeni cities with daily ERA5 reanalysis data going back to 1940. The hottest July afternoons are in Al Ḩudaydah, with average highs around 37.1°C, while Dhamār has the coldest January nights, with average lows near 7.4°C. Comparing the last decade against the 1940–1970 baseline, mean temperatures across these cities have risen by about 1.7°C.