Countries in Western Asia

Western Asia Weather Overview

Lying in the far West of Western Asia and blurring the boundaries between Western Asia and the Middle East, is the Arabian Peninsula- an area of land that is comprised mainly of desert, high temperatures, rolling plateaus and low rainfall.

On the peninsula you will find the Arab Gulf states, some of the richest countries in the world, and the only republic on the peninsula- the Republic of Yemen. The Arab Gulf States are the island nation of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Saudi Arabia makes up the greater part of the peninsula, and is largely low lying with extremely unreliable rainfall- particularly in the interior. As you move toward the south and hit the border of Yemen and Oman you will reach the mountainous region which is the only area of Saudi Arabia which sees annual rainfall in excess of 400mm, elsewhere in the country annual precipitation rarely exceeds 200mm. It is this minimal rainfall which brings the extreme heat and aridity that are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh, lies in the centre of the country and in the centre of the peninsula- where some of the most extreme heat is experienced, in the summer months it is not uncommon for temperatures to exceed 45 degrees Celsius. In fact the average high in the summer months of June to August is 42 degrees, which is frequently recorded on a daily basis. The average daily low during this time in Riyadh is 19 degrees- which generally occurs once the sun has set. Nighttimes in this region have a tendency to see the mercury drop quite dramatically.

In the winter months in Riyadh, the diurnal temperature range is quite dramatic. The average daily temperature range is from a maximum of 21 degrees to a minimum of 8 degrees, across December and January, and a daily maximum of 23 degrees by February. Temperatures below freezing are not entirely uncommon, with the record January low being a bitter -8 degrees.

While Riyadh does sit amongst an arid region, it does receive a very minimal amount of rainfall across the year. On average from June to December rainfall is scarce to nonexistent, February sees on average 20mm for the month, which is similar to March and April, before dying off in May when only 10mm of rainfall is recorded. Across the year the city sees only 76mm of rain- albeit this is more than some other cities that lie in Arabia’s interior.

The only saving grace for the extreme heat in the summer months is the very low average relative humidity. In the hottest months of July and August, the average humidity is a very low 26 percent, before picking up to the 30’s by September and October. The most period of the year is the ‘wettest’ months of December and January which humidity, at its most, will peak at 63%, but it generally hovers around 50%.

In fact, as a rule humidity across the peninsula is low most of the year. However, as you near the coastal regions- while the temperatures may be lower due to the cooling influence of the water, the humidity is much higher so can in fact result in very uncomfortable conditions which can actually in fact be worse than the extreme heat in the inland.

To the south of Saudi Arabia, upon the Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden is the mountainous country of Yemen. The land in Yemen rises steeply from the coast into the interior to parts of 12, 000 feet. Here you will find temperatures much lower than anywhere else on the Arabian Peninsula. There weather in Yemen is actually quite pleasant, and conditions could almost be classed as Mediterranean, as the winters are mild and the summers are warm. Though unlike typical Mediterranean climates, the summer months are the wetter months in Yemen.

In the interior, between the inland desert and the coast, there is a broad valley (Wadi Hadhramaut) which is one of the more densely populated areas in Yemen due to the fact is receieves quite a bit more rainfall than the desert areas inland and on the coast.

The southern coast has very low rainfall and the coastal strip is basically entirely desert. Temperatures are high, as well as humidity. If you want to visit try to avoid to months from June to September as humidity is high and temperatures are frequently over 38 degrees. The high temperatures are moderated, fortunately by the sea breezes that blow across the coast and once you head inland and the elevation increases the temperatures drop a little.

Lying in the Persian Gulf, east of Saudi Arabia is the Kingdom of Bahrain. Bahrain is a flat and arid archipelago, which is home to a low desert plain that rises gently to an escarpment in the centre. The weather and climate in Bahrain are similar to that of the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia but are somewhat modified by Bahrain's insular nature. April to October have a tendency to be the hottest months, and when combined with high humidity conditions are somewhat oppressive. Rainfall is low throughout the year, but when it does occur it will fall during November to March. The weather is moderated by the warm winds that blow off the mainland, and the occasional cold winds that blow from Iran.

Lying north of Saudi Arabia and where the peninsula meets the rest of Asia, is the small country of Jordan. Jordan lies, almost landlocked, bordered by Syria in the north and Israel to the west. In the extreme south there is a short coastline on the Gulf or Aqaba.

Almost 90% of Jordan is desert, with an annual rainfall of below 200mm, and in parts it is as low as 25 to 50mm for the whole year. Summers in Jordan are hot and with plentiful sunshine. Winters can occasional get quite cold, and at higher altitudes it is not uncommon to see snow fall.

The higher elevations in Jordan are in the north west of the country, where some areas are above 3, 300 feet. Because of this higher altitude, combined with its proximity to the Mediterranean, this region is the most fertile part of Jordan as it sees the most rainfall. In parts the rainfall will exceed 800m, though as you decrease in altitude it falls to 300mm. This rainfall will occur mainly between November to March. As a rule, precipitation increases as you move westward and move closer to the Mediterranean.

Jordan is characterised by long clear sunny days as is known as being a particularly sunny country. In the capital of Amman, daily hours of sunshine in the winter months is still a relatively high 6 or 7 hours, and in the summer months daily hours of sunshine are a remarkable 13 hours.

Amman is the largest city of Jordan, and lies in the North West of the country. It is the administrative capital and commercial centre of Jordan. It is located in a hilly area and was originally built across seven hills, but due to years and fast expansion it now spans over an area of nineteen hills.

Because its location on a plateau, Amman enjoys four distinct seasons of excellent weather as its elevation as a cooling affect. While summer temperatures in Jordan can be high in the desert, they are actually quite enjoyable once in Amman. Day time temperatures range from 28 degrees to about 35 degrees, though the highs are moderated by the low humidity and the frequent breezes.

The average daily high in the hottest months of July and August is 32 degrees, with the minimum in the night times falling to 18 degrees. Rainfall during this time is non existent and only begins to pick up slightly on October, before reaching about 4 days of rain with 33mm falling in the month of November.

December to February sees daily highs of 13 to 15 degrees, and minimums of 4 to 6 degrees. In is non uncommon for the mercury to fall below freezing and there are occasional days of snowfall, particular at higher altitudes. February is the wettest month of the year, recording on average, 74 mm of precipitation for the month.

The worst weather in Jordan occurs when hot dry winds from Arabia (called ‘the khamsin’ by locals). During this time, typically late summer, extreme heat is felt and it is best to avoid being outside for extended periods of time.

See here for average conditions in Amman.

Hugged between Oman and Saudi Arabia is the United Arab Emirates. While the capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi, its largest city and probably its most vibrant is the modern city of Dubai. In recent years Dubai has attracted world-wide attention through its innovative real estate projects (such as the Palm Island), amazing hotels (the Burj Al Arab) and being the host city for a variety of sports events.

Dubai is hot, often uncomfortably hot, throughout most of the year. With the barometer often seeing temperatures over 40 degrees. The average high in the hottest months of July and August is 39 degrees, while even in the cooler months of ‘winter’ the average high is still in the mid 20’s and the minimum only falls to about 14 degrees.

During the summer months the water temperature is a bath like 31 degrees, so while some may find this refreshing other may choose to stick to their hotel pools! In the winter months the sea temperature is in the mid 20’s and gradually warms up in Spring and cools off in Autumn.

See here for average water temperature table.

Rainfall is low throughout the year, though when it does fall it will usually fall in January. In fact, January 2008 saw a record 120 mm fall across the month- which is astounding considering Dubai’s annual rainfall is usually a mere 150 mm.

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