Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Climate & Monthly Averages
Riyadh has a hot desert climate. July is the hottest month, averaging 110° by day; January is the coldest at 70°.
Riyadh's climate runs on sunshine and sparse rain
Riyadh works on a dry budget: 3.0 inches (77 mm) of precipitation a year, spread over roughly 15 days. Temperature does the varying instead, from 70°F (21°C) on a typical January afternoon to 110°F (44°C) in July, with nights 13°C below the day.
What the dry climate changes
Relative humidity averages 26% across the year, drier than almost anywhere else we cover. Warmth peaks in July: highs of 110°F (44°C), lows of 86°F (30°C). January bottoms out at 70°F (21°C) in daylight, 48°F (9°C) after dark. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 118°F (48°C) and the lowest daily minimum 31°F (-1°C). 12 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running January through December.
Average highs hold at or above 30°C for 7 months of the year, April through October being the unbroken run. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is December through February. Precipitation concentrates in January - 15 mm (0.6 in) on 2 days - and thins out by June.
More climate facts for Riyadh
- Hottest month: July - highs near 110°F (44°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 70°F (21°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 118°F (48°C) high · 31°F (-1°C) low
- Wettest month: January (2 rainy days) · Sunniest: June (12.0 h sun/day)
- Climate type: hot desert
- Annual swing: 22°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 13°C
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 7
- Average humidity: 26%
Heat, cold and scarce precipitation in the dataset
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need another precipitation unit? Use the rainfall converter.
When the dry weather is easiest to use
Avoiding the hardest heat or cold
Aim for November to March if you get the choice: temperatures sit either side of the peak heat rather than in it, and highs average 76°F (25°C) against roughly 2 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in November.
Prepare for sun and cooler nights
Pack for Riyadh with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection. Note the gap between afternoon and night: July pairs 110°F (44°C) with 86°F (30°C).
Monthly heat and rainfall table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 70° | 48° | 2 | 0.6 in | 9.4 h/day | 10.8 h | 6% | 45% |
| February | 74° | 52° | 2 | 0.5 in | 9.8 h/day | 11.3 h | 8% | 36% |
| March | 83° | 60° | 3 | 0.4 in | 10.4 h/day | 11.9 h | 9% | 31% |
| April | 91° | 68° | 3 | 0.5 in | 10.6 h/day | 12.7 h | 9% | 27% |
| May | 102° | 77° | 1 | 0.1 in | 11.4 h/day | 13.3 h | 3% | 17% |
| June | 108° | 83° | 0 | 0.0 in | 12.0 h/day | 13.7 h | 0% | 11% |
| July | 110° | 86° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.7 h/day | 13.5 h | 0% | 12% |
| August | 109° | 85° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.6 h/day | 13.0 h | 0% | 13% |
| September | 104° | 79° | 0 | 0.0 in | 11.4 h/day | 12.3 h | 0% | 15% |
| October | 94° | 70° | 0 | 0.0 in | 10.9 h/day | 11.5 h | 1% | 22% |
| November | 81° | 61° | 2 | 0.5 in | 9.8 h/day | 10.9 h | 8% | 42% |
| December | 72° | 51° | 2 | 0.4 in | 9.6 h/day | 10.6 h | 5% | 46% |
How daytime heat and cool nights change by month
Each card shows the average high and low. The bar places that month between Riyadh's coldest night and warmest afternoon.
January
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 9.4 h
- Daylight
- 10.8 h
February
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
March
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 10.4 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 3 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.7 h
May
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.3 h
June
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 12.0 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
July
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.5 h
August
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.6 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
September
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.3 h
October
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.9 h
- Daylight
- 11.5 h
November
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 9.8 h
- Daylight
- 10.9 h
December
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 9.6 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
Looking for warmer alternatives? Browse warm places by month, or compare Riyadh's coolest part of the year: January, December, February.
Heat and cold across the Riyadh year
Spring (March through May)
Spring turns very hot here - highs near 92°F (33°C), nights near 68°F (20°C), and precipitation is sparse, near 1.0 inches (26 mm) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.8 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Riyadh is punishingly hot, with daytime highs averaging 109°F (43°C) and nights around 84°F (29°C); precipitation is essentially absent. Daylight is generous - around 11.8 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Riyadh brings serious heat, with daytime highs averaging 93°F (34°C) and nights around 70°F (21°C); precipitation is sparse, near 15 mm (0.6 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.7 hours of sun a day.
Winter (December through February)
Winter settles into easy warmth here - highs near 72°F (22°C), nights near 50°F (10°C), and precipitation is sparse, near 1.4 inches (37 mm) for the season.
How unusual is Riyadh?
- Annual precipitation is 3.0 inches (77 mm) - drier than almost every other city we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 15 days a year - fewer wet days than almost every other city we track.
- Afternoons run 13°C above the following night - a bigger day-to-night gap than 95% of the 3496 cities we track.
These comparisons use the same ten-year window for every city in the dataset.