Sanaa, Yemen Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Sanaa
Sanaa works on a dry budget: 7.9 inches (200 mm) of precipitation a year, spread over roughly 38 days. Temperature does the varying instead, from 72°F (22°C) on a typical December afternoon to 84°F (29°C) in June, with nights 13°C below the day.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: June - highs near 84°F (29°C)
- Coldest month: December - highs near 72°F (22°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 91°F (33°C) high · 34°F (1°C) low
- Wettest month: August (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: March (11.4 h sun/day)
- Climate type: hot desert
- Annual swing: 8°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 13°C
- Average humidity: 40%
Temperatures through the year
December bottoms out at 72°F (22°C) in daylight, 46°F (8°C) after dark. At its warmest, in June, Sanaa runs to 84°F (29°C) in the afternoon and back to 61°F (16°C) by dawn. March is the brightest month at 11.4 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 10.9 - sunnier than 93% of the 3496 cities in our dataset.
Rain, sun and snow
8 months average under 20 mm of rain, the longest unbroken stretch running September through March. Between the average June and the average December lie 8°C, a narrower spread than about 79% of the cities we track. Days and nights are about 13°C apart on average - wider than 94% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. Relative humidity averages 40% across the year, drier than all but 3% of the 3496 cities in our dataset. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 91°F (33°C) and bottoms at 34°F (1°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Sanaa compares
- Annual precipitation is 7.9 inches (200 mm) - drier than all but 4% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 38 days a year - fewer wet days than all but 6% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 72° | 47° | 1 | 0.1 in | 10.8 h/day | 11.3 h | 3% | 42% |
| February | 76° | 50° | 1 | 0.1 in | 11.0 h/day | 11.6 h | 2% | 41% |
| March | 78° | 53° | 2 | 0.4 in | 11.4 h/day | 12.0 h | 8% | 44% |
| April | 78° | 56° | 5 | 0.9 in | 11.4 h/day | 12.5 h | 16% | 47% |
| May | 80° | 58° | 5 | 1.4 in | 11.1 h/day | 12.8 h | 17% | 41% |
| June | 84° | 61° | 1 | 0.2 in | 11.0 h/day | 13.0 h | 4% | 31% |
| July | 82° | 62° | 7 | 1.3 in | 9.7 h/day | 13.0 h | 21% | 43% |
| August | 80° | 60° | 12 | 2.7 in | 10.6 h/day | 12.6 h | 39% | 52% |
| September | 81° | 59° | 2 | 0.3 in | 11.1 h/day | 12.2 h | 6% | 32% |
| October | 75° | 53° | 1 | 0.4 in | 11.2 h/day | 11.8 h | 4% | 33% |
| November | 73° | 49° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.7 h/day | 11.4 h | 1% | 40% |
| December | 72° | 46° | 0 | 0.1 in | 10.8 h/day | 11.2 h | 1% | 39% |
Sanaa month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Sanaa's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
February
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 11.6 h
March
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.0 h
April
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 11.4 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
May
- Rain
- 5 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.8 h
June
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
July
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.0 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.6 h
- Daylight
- 12.6 h
September
- Rain
- 2 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 12.2 h
October
- Rain
- 1 day
- Sunshine
- 11.2 h
- Daylight
- 11.8 h
November
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.7 h
- Daylight
- 11.4 h
December
- Rain
- 0 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 11.2 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Sanaa
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Sanaa settles into easy warmth, with daytime highs averaging 78°F (26°C) and nights around 56°F (13°C); rain comes on about 13 days over the three months. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day.
Summer (June through August)
Summer in Sanaa brings hot afternoons, with daytime highs averaging 82°F (28°C) and nights around 61°F (16°C); expect showers on roughly 20 days across the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.4 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Sanaa settles into easy warmth, with daytime highs averaging 76°F (25°C) and nights around 54°F (12°C); precipitation is sparse, near 19 mm (0.7 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 11.0 hours of sun a day.
Winter (December through February)
Winter settles into easy warmth here - highs near 73°F (23°C), nights near 48°F (9°C), and precipitation is sparse, near 7 mm (0.3 in) for the season. Daylight is generous - around 10.9 hours of sun a day.
Climate questions, answered
Is Sanaa cold in winter?
How often does it rain in Sanaa?
How warm is Sanaa on average?
Is Sanaa a wet city?
How much sun does Sanaa get?
What should I wear in Sanaa?
Best time to visit Sanaa
Aim for January to June if you get the choice: temperatures sit either side of the peak heat rather than in it, and highs average 78°F (25°C) against roughly 3 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in January.
Pack for Sanaa with light clothing for the warm months and rain gear if you travel around August. June nights average 61°F (16°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Sanaa temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.