Hajj 2025: Hot to Extremely Hot Weather Expected at Holy Sites
As Wednesday May 28, 2025 marked the first day of Dhu'al-Hijjah, the Hajj season for this year will take place during the first ten days of June 2025. In the light of this, the Saudi National Center of Meteorology (NCM) announced its weather forecast for the Hajj season.
In a press conference, the NCM's Chief Executive, Ayman Ghulam, said that the expected weather conditions at the Holy Sites will be hot to extremely hot.
According to Ghulam, the maximum temperatures in the Holy Sites during Hajj are forecast to range between 40 and 47 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures will range between 27 and 32 degree Celsius.
Moreover, the humidity levels could reach up to 60%. The Holy Sites are likely to experience northerly to northwesterly winds at speeds ranging from 25 km/h to 35 km/h. These winds may stir up dust and reduce visibility, particularly in open areas and highways, he noted.
Additionally, the NCM's Chief Executive pointed to the possibility of thunderclouds formation in the highlands of Taif. Their impact could extend to the Holy Sites from Dhu'al-Hijjah 8-13, bringing strong downwinds that raise dust and dirt.
The prolonged exposure to high temperatures could lead to heat exhaustion, which may develop in some conditions to heatstroke. Many pilgrims experience heat exhaustion or heatstroke due to exposure to the sun for a long period of time.
To avoid heatstroke, pilgrims are advised to avoid exposure to direct sunlight, apply sunscreen, drink plenty of fluids, and use light-colored umbrellas.
Short link :
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Saudi Gazette
17 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
NCM Forecast: Dust storms expected across Saudi Arabia until next week
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) expects dust-storms would continue hitting across several regions of Saudi Arabia, from Monday until the beginning of next week. The NCM said in its weather statement that winds are expected to continue active in the Eastern Province, the eastern parts of Makkah, Madinah, and Asir, as well as in the Najran region and the coastal road from Jeddah to Jazan. The center warned that parts of the Riyadh region would be affected by dust storms, including active winds and reduced horizontal visibility from 3 to 5 kilometers. The governorates of Al-Sulayyil and Wadi Al-Dawasir would be affected by dust storms from 1 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Al-Aflaj from 3 a.m. to 5 p.m. Meanwhile, the capital city of Riyadh and the governorates of Diriyah, Al-Kharj, Al-Hariq, Al-Dalam, Al-Muzahmiyya, and Hawtah Bani Tamim would be affected by dust storms from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m., as well as the governorates of Al-Dawadmi, Al-Rayn, Al-Quwayiyah, and Afif from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. It also expected that the effects of the active winds would extend to parts of the Northern Borders, Al-Jouf, Hail, Al-Qassim, and Riyadh regions. Meteorological forecasts indicated that hot to very hot weather would continue in the Eastern Province on Monday and Tuesday, with maximum temperatures expected to reach at 47 degrees Celsius.
Saudi Gazette
19 hours ago
- Saudi Gazette
Heatwave brings temperatures up to 46°C across southern Europe
MADRID — A heatwave continues to grip large parts of Europe, with authorities in many countries issuing health warnings amid searing temperatures. Southern Spain is the worst-affected region, with temperatures in the mid-40s Celsius recorded in Seville and neighbouring areas. A new heat record for June of 46C was set on Saturday in the town of El Granado, according to Spain's national weather service, which also said this month is on track to be the hottest June on record. Red heat warnings are in force in parts of Portugal, Italy and Croatia, with numerous amber warnings covering areas of Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland. In Barcelona, a woman died after completing a shift as a road sweeper on Saturday, when temperatures were very high. Local authorities are investigating her death. In Italy, emergency departments across the country have reported an uptick in heatstroke cases, mainly affecting "elderly people, cancer patients, or homeless people", Mario Guarino, vice president of the Italian Society of Emergency Medicine told the AFP news agency. Hospitals such as the Ospedale dei Colli in Naples have set up dedicated heatstroke pathways to speed up access to vital treatments such as cold water immersion. The city of Bologna further to the north has set up seven climate shelters with air conditioning and drinking water, while Rome has offered free access to city swimming pools for those over 70. A pharmacist in Portugal's capital Lisbon told Reuters news agency that, despite telling people "not to go out" during the hottest hours of the day, "we have already had some cases of heat strokes and burns". The severe heat has also affected countries across the western Balkans where temperatures have reached in excess of 40C. Serbia registered its highest-ever temperature since it began recording them in the 19th century. In Slovenia, the hottest-ever June temperature was recorded on Saturday. North Macedonia is also sweltering as temperatures reached 42C on Friday. Some areas will continue to get hotter until the middle of the week, with temperatures rising across France, Germany, Italy and the UK over the next few days. Yellow and amber alerts are in place for parts of England this weekend, and temperatures in London may reach 35C on Monday. The heat has been building under a big area of high pressure, with dry air descending and warming. As that process has continued over a number of days, temperatures have climbed. The area of high pressure will move eastwards over the next few days – taking the high temperatures northwards and eastwards with it. While it is hard to link individual extreme weather events to climate change, heatwaves are becoming more common and more intense due to climate change. Scientists at World Weather Attribution, who analyse the influence of climate change on extreme weather events, say June heatwaves with three consecutive days above 28C are about 10 times more likely to occur now compared to pre-industrial times. — BBC
Saudi Gazette
6 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
NCM forecast: Several Saudi regions to witness temperatures 1.2 °C above average in August
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) revealed on Wednesday that climate forecasts for the summer of 2025 in Saudi Arabia indicate that temperatures will be 1.2 degrees Celsius above average in several regions of the Kingdom during the month of August. The NCM explained that probable forecasts indicate that average surface temperatures will be above average across most regions of the Kingdom during the summer of 2025. The increase is expected to reach approximately 1 degree Celsius in the regions of Riyadh, Qassim, Hail, the Eastern Province, and the Northern Borders, while the increase is expected to be less than 1 degree Celsius in the rest of the regions. It added that the highest increase above average will reach 1.2 degrees Celsius in parts of Al-Jouf, Hail, Qassim, Tabuk, and the Eastern Province during August. According to the center, rainfall is expected to be around average across most regions of the Kingdom. Rainfall in July and August is expected to be above average in the regions of Jazan, Al-Baha, Najran, Asir, as well as parts of Madinah, Makkah, and the southwestern parts of the Kingdom. The NCM indicated that rainfall is expected to be around average in Riyadh and the rest of the regions.
