Riyadh weather by month & best time to visit

Your holiday weather, at a glance

54

Holiday weather in October

Fair

Best time to visit: November – March

Keep in mindPeak heat

Air temperature34°CNight 20°All months

Sea temperature–no sea nearby

Sunshine8hrs / dayof 11.6 h daylightAll months Rainy days0days / month1 mmAll months

A typical day in October

Morning, 08:00: about 26°
Midday, 13:00: about 34°
Afternoon, 16:00: about 32°
Evening, 20:00: about 26°
Night, 23:00: about 24°

05:5017:27

Warm enough for a T-shirt in the evening.

Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.

Light for photos in October

Golden hour: Morning 05:36–06:21 · evening 16:57–17:41
Blue hour: Morning 05:27–05:36 · evening 17:41–17:50

Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.

What is the weather like in Riyadh in October?

In October, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 34 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 20 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 29 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

More details for October

Daylight: 11 h 37 min05:50 – 17:27
UV index: 8 · very highclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
Muggy days: 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
Wind: 17 km/haverage daily peakAll months
Cloud cover: 9 %on averageAll months
Hot days: 29 days30 °C or moreAll months
Time zone: UTC+3Asia/Riyadh

How the score comes together

Temperatureweight 50 %11 %
Sunshineweight 20 %90 %
Few rainy daysweight 30 %100 %

Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.

What to pack in October

Sunscreen
Sunglasses & sun hat
Light, breathable clothes
Water bottle – drink plenty

Sunshine

Sunshine hours in Riyadh

Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.

OctoberSunshine 8.4 hDaylight 11.6 hShare of daylight 72 %

SunshineDaylight

In October, the sun shines for about 8.4 of 11.6 hours of daylight in Riyadh, 72 % of the day.

Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.

Sun protection

UV index in Riyadh

How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.

Clear-sky UV in October: 8 · very highStay in the shade around midday; SPF 50, clothing, hat and sunglasses.

The sun is strongest in June (UV 13).

Minutes until sunburn in October

Very fair skin: about 15 min
Fair skin: about 20 min
Light brown skin: about 30 min
Olive skin: about 35 min

Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.

Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.

Rain

Rain in Riyadh: rainy days and rainfall

A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.

OctoberRainy days 0Rainfall 1 mm

In October, it hardly ever rains in Riyadh: 1 mm in the whole month.

Wind & clouds

Wind and clouds in Riyadh

How breezy and how cloudy Riyadh is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.

Wind

Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.

OctoberWind 17 km/hBeaufort 3

In October, the wind in Riyadh typically peaks at 17 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.

Clouds

Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.

OctoberCloud cover 9 %Sunshine 8.4 h

In October, cloud covers on average 9 % of the sky over Riyadh: mostly clear, with about 8.4 hours of sunshine a day.

Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.

Heat & humidity

Heat and humidity in Riyadh

How often the day gets hot in Riyadh (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.

Heat calendar

pleasant
some hot or muggy days
often muggy
often hot
hot and muggy

OctoberHot days (30 °C+) 29Day high 34 °C

In October, Riyadh has about 29 hot days, with an average daytime high of 34 °C: often hot. Avoid the midday sun, look for shade and drink plenty.

Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year

Climate through the year

Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.

Best time to visit

Nights and sleep in Riyadh

How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.

Cool 8–15°
Pleasant 15–20°
Warm 20–24°
Hot 24° and more

WarmOctober: nights around 20°. Tropical nights: a fan or air conditioning helps.

The coolest nights are in January (8°), the warmest in July (28°). Tropical nights of 20 °C and more are the rule from May to October; then air conditioning or a fan helps you sleep. Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) in April.

Temperatures through the year

Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.

OctoberDay 34°Night 20°

DayNight

Month	Score	Day	Night	Sun	Rain days	Rain mm
JanuaryJan	92	20°	8°	6.7 h	2	11
FebruaryFeb	96	23°	10°	7.7 h	1	5
MarchMar	92	28°	14°	8.0 h	2	9
AprilApr	58	33°	19°	8.2 h	3	14
MayMay	50	39°	24°	9.5 h	1	2
JuneJun	50	42°	26°	9.7 h	0	0
JulyJul	50	43°	28°	9.3 h	0	0
AugustAug	50	43°	28°	9.2 h	0	0
SeptemberSep	50	40°	25°	9.0 h	0	0
OctoberOct	54	34°	20°	8.4 h	0	1
NovemberNov	95	27°	14°	7.6 h	2	11
DecemberDec	95	22°	9°	7.4 h	2	8

Climate averages 1996–2025, not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences

24.69° N, 46.72° E · 612 m · Asia/Riyadh

Best time to visit

Best time to visit Riyadh

The best time to visit Riyadh is from November to March. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from November to March. From April to October it can get very hot, with highs of up to 43 °C. Rain is a rarity all year: only 61 mm fall in an average year.

Riyadh through the seasons

How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.

Riyadh in spring

Mar – May

67

Good

28–39 °C by day
9 h of sun a day
5 rainy days in all

Riyadh in summer

Jun – Aug

50

Fair

42–43 °C by day
9 h of sun a day
0 rainy days in all

Riyadh in autumn

Sep – Nov

66

Good

27–40 °C by day
8 h of sun a day
2 rainy days in all

Riyadh in winter

Dec – Feb

94

Excellent

20–23 °C by day
7 h of sun a day
5 rainy days in all

Find your perfect month

Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Riyadh for you.

Preferred daytime temperature 23 °C

Sunshine

Little rain

Avoid muggy heat

Your best months: February, December

Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.

Compare two months in Riyadh

Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.

vs.

February has the better holiday weather in Riyadh: score 96 against 54. In February, days are 11 °C cooler than in October. February has one more rainy day. The sun shines an hour less a day in February.

October vs. February, Riyadh
Month	October	February
Weather score	54	96better
Day high	34°	23°
Night low	20°	10°
Sunshine	8.4 hbetter	7.7 h
Rainy days	0better	1
Rainfall	1 mm	5 mm

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Which month for what?

Beach & swimming

No sea nearby

Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry

Sightseeing & hiking

Nov – Mar

15–28 °C and not too much rain

Peak heat

Apr – Oct

Highs of 33 °C or more

Riyadh month by month

The typical weather for every month at a glance.

92January20° · 7 h

In January, Riyadh is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 2 days bring 11 mm in total. All in all, January is an excellent month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in January

96February23° · 8 h

In February, Riyadh is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, February is an excellent month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in February

92March28° · 8 h

In March, Riyadh is hot: daytime highs average 28 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 10 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, March is an excellent month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in March

58April33° · 8 h

In April, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 33 °C, and nights cool down to about 19 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 3 days bring 14 mm in total. On about 24 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in April

50May39° · 10 h

In May, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 39 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 24 °C. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, May is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in May

50June42° · 10 h

In June, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 42 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 26 °C. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, June is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in June

50July43° · 9 h

In July, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 43 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 28 °C. With around 9 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, July is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in July

50August43° · 9 h

In August, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 43 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 28 °C. With around 9 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 31 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, August is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in August

50September40° · 9 h

In September, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 40 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 25 °C. With around 9 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. It hardly ever rains. On about 30 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, September is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in September

54October34° · 8 h

In October, Riyadh is very hot: daytime highs average 34 °C, and even at night it stays warm at around 20 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. On about 29 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in October

95November27° · 8 h

In November, Riyadh is warm: daytime highs average 27 °C, and nights cool down to about 14 °C. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is rare: about 2 days bring 11 mm in total. On about 6 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, November is an excellent month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in November

95December22° · 7 h

In December, Riyadh is warm: daytime highs average 22 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. It hardly ever rains. All in all, December is an excellent month for a holiday in Riyadh.

Riyadh in December

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Riyadh compared

Put Riyadh side by side with another destination.

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Riyadh vs. Dammam

In October the holiday weather in Riyadh and Dammam is about equally good (score 54 vs. 56). During the day it is about as warm in Dammam as in Riyadh. Dammam gets 2 more hours of sunshine a day.

Riyadh vs. Dammam, in October
in October	Riyadh	Dammam
Holiday score	54	56
Daytime high	34°	34°
Sea	–	30°
Sunshine	8 h	10 h
Rainy days	0	0
Best time	Nov – Mar	Nov – Mar

Through the year

OctoberRiyadh 34°Dammam 34°

RiyadhDammam

Go to Dammam

Ranking

Saudi Arabia in October: the best places

In October, Riyadh ranks 7 of 10 destinations in this country.

Jizan34°32°80
2Tabuk31°74
3Jeddah33°31°59
4Yanbu34°30°58
5Dammam34°30°56
6Al-Ula34°55
7RiyadhThis page34°54
8Khobar35°30°53

All destinations: Saudi Arabia

Planning a trip to Riyadh

Weather for your travel dates

Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.

ArrivalNights

Riyadh in the school holidays

How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.

Riyadh has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 94) and its weakest during May half-term (score 50).

Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
68
Good
- 32 °C by day
- 8.1 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
May half-term
May – Jun
50
Fair
- 39 °C by day
- 9.5 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
50
Fair
- 43 °C by day
- 9.2 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
October half-term
Oct
54
Fair
- 34 °C by day
- 8.4 h of sun a day
- 0 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Peak heat
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
94
ExcellentBest holidays
- 21 °C by day
- 7.1 h of sun a day
- 2 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks

Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.

Getting there

Flying from

Nonstop flight: about 6 h 30 min
Distance: 4,960 km
Time zone: UTC+3
Jet lag: Hardly any (under 3 h)

Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.

Frequently asked questions about Riyadh

When is the best time to visit Riyadh?

The best time to visit Riyadh is from November to March. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.

What is the warmest month in Riyadh?

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 43 °C and nights around 28 °C. January is the coolest month at 20 °C.

When does it rain most in Riyadh?

Rain is a rarity all year: only 61 mm fall in an average year.

How many hours of sunshine does Riyadh get?

Riyadh gets around 3,070 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is June with 9.7 hours a day; in January there are 6.7 hours a day.

What time zone is Riyadh in?

Riyadh uses the time zone Asia/Riyadh, at UTC+3 all year.

How long is the flight from London to Riyadh?

A nonstop flight from London to Riyadh takes about 6 h 30 min, for a straight-line distance of about 4,960 km.

Which school holidays are best for Riyadh?

Riyadh has its best school-holiday weather during the Christmas holidays (score 94) and its weakest during May half-term (score 50). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 68, May half-term 50, Summer holidays 50, October half-term 54, Christmas holidays 94.

Near Riyadh

Other destinations close by.

Places with a climate like Riyadh

Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Riyadh's – good alternatives.