Riyadh Weather Today31degrees Celsius

About Riyadh's Climate

Riyadh sits on the high Najd plateau at around 600 metres elevation and follows a continental desert pattern: long, bone-dry summers and surprisingly cool winter nights. From late May through September, afternoon highs routinely push past 43°C (109°F), while January averages around 14°C and pre-dawn temperatures can briefly drop near freezing. Humidity stays low year-round, which makes the heat more manageable than on the Gulf coast. Spring brings the city's most distinctive weather hazard — sudden dust walls known locally as haboobs — typically rolling in from the north-west between March and May. Rainfall is scarce, falling mostly in winter showers that rarely total more than 100 mm a year. The comfortable window for sightseeing and outdoor events runs November through March. Practical tip: in summer, schedule any walking tour or run before 10 a.m., and keep an eye on NCM advisories during dust-storm season.

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