I still remember the exact moment the automatic doors at the airport slid open for my first Saudi summer. It wasn’t just heat, it felt like someone had opened an oven directly in your face.

My Experience Surviving Summer Heat in Saudi Arabia

My first run-in with this kind of weather was back in 2024, in Madinah. As a first-timer, it was intense, but Madinah still has some humidity, unlike Riyadh.

Fast forward to 2025, and I’m doing another summer in Saudi Arabia, but this time, I am in Riyadh. Riyadh’s weather is actually more extreme as it is geographically located in the middle of the desert.

So when it’s peak summer, it’s very hot. And during peak winter, it’s freezing cold. I’m going to share with you my personal experience facing summer in Saudi Arabia as a new expat who just moved here.

Is Riyadh humid or dry in summer?

Is the weather in Saudi Arabia humid or dry? The answer depends on the city.

As for Riyadh, it is definitely dry.

As someone from a tropical country in Southeast Asia, I am used to sweating the moment I step outside, even if the temperature is below 35°C. That is just the norm there because the humidity is so high.

But coming to Saudi Arabia, I noticed the humidity level is very, very low and I rarely break a sweat.

My favorite part of this dry weather is actually the laundry. I never thought I would say this, but I love doing laundry here!

To give you an idea, you don’t even need a balcony or outdoor space.

You can simply hang your clothes inside your house, in any room, and they will be dry in two hours. Isn’t that amaaazing?!

Which cities are more humid in Saudi Arabia?

The difference comes down to geography. 

Cities closer to the coast, like Jeddah or Dammam, are hot during the summer but also humid. 

Riyadh, however, is located in the middle of the desert, nowhere near the coast. So, it is extremely dry.

When you step outside here, the air feels crisp. It is scorching, yes, but it doesn’t cling to you. You won’t really feel sweaty unless you have been out for a long time.

That is actually the weirdest sensation.

You don’t feel like you are sweating. You are sweating, but the air is so “thirsty” that it evaporates the moisture off your skin the second it leaves your pores.

This is great for comfort (no sticky armpit!), but it is a trap. 

You don’t realize you are dehydrating until you have a splitting headache especially in the afternoon.

So, do not forget to hydrate. You need to drink way more than usual.

And I always keep a paracetamol in my bag everywhere I go because the headache you get from the sun is real!

Summer temperature in Riyadh by month 

When is summer in Saudi Arabia? April – October

When is winter in Saudi Arabia? November – March 

If you are in Riyadh from June through September, you are living during peak summer.

June In June, the temperature is going up. You’ll see highs of 42°C (108°F). This is the warning shot.

July & August In July and August, this is the peak summer. 45°C (113°F) is standard. We see days pushing 47°C or 48°C. During this time, the government will issue a warning and rules for construction workers to not work during these hours. Delivery riders are included too.

September In September, the heat lingers, sometimes until October. You think it’s over, but it’s still hitting 40°C.

How to deal with the heat is to get accustomed like the locals. Don’t go out for a nice stroll at 1:00 PM; you’re going to put yourself in danger.

During summer, everyone almost feels like they are living in a bubble. My apartment is 20°C. My car is 20°C. The office is 18°C (bring a sweater, just in case).

You spend your day hopping between air-conditioned spaces. Running AC non-stop will spike your bills, check my summer vs. winter electricity cost breakdown.

The only time you feel the 45-degree heat is during the 10-second dash from your front door to your car, and that’s it.

Indoor activities in Riyadh during summer

One of the biggest culture shocks for me wasn’t the heat itself, it was the time shift. 

In the UK or the States, you are programmed to think the day is for doing things and the night is for relaxing, socializing or sleeping.

Living in Saudi Arabia, you have to unlearn that. The city sleeps when the sun is up especially during summer.

If you go to a playground at 3:00 PM, it’s a ghost town. The equipment is hot enough to fry an egg. 

But if you go back at 8:00 PM, it’s packed. Toddlers are running around, families are having picnics, and the coffee shops are buzzing.

There is something magical about the city coming alive at night. The traffic at midnight is almost like the morning rush hour. 

Malls and shops stay open until late night especially on the weekend or during the fasting month (Ramadan). 

When I first visited my in-laws’ house in Madinah, I was the only one awake at 7:00 AM ready to start my day. Later, I learned to sleep in because everyone does XD

Does it ever rain in Riyadh?

You probably think, since this is a desert, so it never rains. That is exactly what I thought before moving here.

But the answer is yes, it does rain although it’s rare – around 10 to 15 days a year.

Rain usually hits during the transition months when the seasons are changing. This is mostly in the Spring (Feb or March) and occasionally in November.

During these months, you don’t just get a light drizzle, sometimes you get thunderstorms. And the government will send an alert to everyone’s mobile phone to stay safe as it can lead to flash floods quickly.

Schools are also closed or switch to remote learning when this happens.

Driving while it’s raining can be dangerous as the roads get slippery and flooded in seconds.

However, you will still see children (and adults) playing under the rain as it’s very rare here and it makes everyone so happy when it’s raining.

I now started to appreciate rain a bit more when I visited my tropical home country.

Sandstorms in Riyadh

You have probably seen those movie scenes where a massive wall of sand swallows a city (like in Mission Impossible). I haven’t really experienced those and I think it’s because of all the buildings in the city.

Most of the time, it isn’t a violent storm. It’s just get very windy and dusty. You will wake up and realize the sky isn’t blue anymore, it’s a hazy shade of beige or yellow.

You will feel the air is thick with dust and sometimes it sticks on your skin (this is why some people prefer to be fully covered here).

On these days, the air quality is pretty bad. If you have asthma or allergies, you will feel it in your chest immediately.

Here is the part nobody tells you, the dust gets inside your house. Even if your windows and doors are closed tightly, the dust will still come in.

After a dusty day, you will find a fine layer of sand on your coffee table, your sofa, and even inside your cupboards. It is a constant battle to keep the house clean and dust-free here.

Some survival tips I learned from seasoned expats

Get an Air Purifier – Some expats used air purifier inside their apartment and said this has been one of their best investments. I’m honestly looking to add this upgrade to my apartment next year.

Don’t panic while driving – If a big storm hits while you are on the highway, visibility drops fast. Just slow down, turn on your hazard lights, and be patient.

When do shops open during summer?

Businesses adapt to this too. While corporate offices keep standard hours, retail and social life shift late. Malls and shops often stay open well past midnight.

If you try to go for early dinner at 6:00 PM, you might be the only person in the restaurant. The locals won’t show up until 9:30 PM or 10:00 PM.

If you want to survive the summer without feeling isolated, you have to adjust your biological clock. Sleep a bit later if you can, embrace the afternoon siesta, and live your life at night.

Best shopping malls in Riyadh for walking during summer

If you are from a place where malls are dying, prepare for a shock. Here, malls are the town square. They are the community centers.

Because we can’t walk in the parks during the day, people here walk in the malls.

Shopping malls here aren’t just for shopping, hanging out, or eating nice food. It turns out becoming a place where you can complete your 10K steps too!

I shared some of the best shopping malls in Riyadh in my other article.

What to wear in Riyadh during summer

You may think “It’s hot, I should wear shorts and a tank top.” 

That’s not really a great idea. First, culturally, that’s not really accepted in public spaces, even though things have relaxed a ton for expats. 

And second, it’s a rookie mistake. Direct sun on skin will hurt and burn your skin fast. You actually want to cover up to stay cool.

Best fabrics for extreme dry heat

For men, loose linen trousers and cotton shirts are the way to go. 

If you wear synthetic fabric, it turns into a plastic wrap sauna against your skin.

For women, honestly, this is where the Abaya wins. 

You don’t have to wear one anymore (the laws changed years ago), but I still wear a light, colorful one often. 

Why? Because it’s breezy. 

It creates a little air pocket around you and keeps the sun off your arms. If you aren’t wearing one, stick to sleeved shirts and loose linen pants.

They also sell a lot of summer-style abaya here which comes in very light airy fabric and is colorful.

Also, you might want to avoid wearing flip-flops. The pavement can get very hot and it may damage your slippers.

It’s better to wear sneakers or proper leather sandals with a thick sole.

Keep yourself hydrated during summer

In dry heat, you actually dehydrate before you feel thirsty. Your sweat evaporates so fast you don’t realize you are losing fluids. 

By the time you have a headache, you are already in the danger zone.

You need to drink water constantly, even if you don’t feel like it. I carry a water bottle everywhere (and a paracetamol, just in case).

Also, the transition from the extreme heat outside to the freezing AC inside takes a toll on your body. It’s common to get summer colds because of this thermal shock. 

You can keep a light cardigan in your bag. It seems strange to carry a sweater when it’s 113°F outside, but you will freeze in the movie theater or the office.

How to take care of your skin in Saudi’s dry climate

Before I forget, the dryness will wreck your skin. Spending summer in Saudi Arabia means you really need to amp up your moisture game to take care of your skin barrier.

And if you’re on any skin treatment like retinol (which is great but has the side effect of dryness), you may want to stop it for a while when you’re in Saudi.

Just until your skin gets familiar with the climate again.

I personally gone through quite a journey in finding the best moisturizer in this very dry weather and keep changing until I found the right one.

Vaseline is my savior too, it’s a must-have in your purse.

Why the ‘cold’ tap water is ‘hot’ in summer

My husband warned me about this, but I wasn’t paying much attention to it until I accidentally burned my hands (and other parts of my body) because of it.

In your house, you have a cold tap and a hot tap. Sounds simple, but in summer this can get really tricky. 

In the summer, the water tank on your roof is baking in the sun all day long. The water inside is very hot. I’m talking near-boiling.

So, if you turn on the ‘Cold’ tap to wash your face, you are going to scream. The trick is to use the ‘Hot’ tap. 

Usually, the water heater tank is inside the roof (in the shade) and the heater is turned off. So, the water sitting in the “hot” tank is actually room temperature.

You might want to jot this down so you don’t burn yourself on the toilet or in the shower like I did.

Summer getaways from Riyadh

A lot of expats are planning a quick escape during this unbearable weather. And if you feel like you need a quick getaway, don’t feel embarrassed. 

Most people who can afford a flight ticket back to their home country will do so in July – September.

But if you prefer a cost-savvy option, here is good news for you.

Saudi Arabia is actually quite massive and geographically diverse. You don’t have to leave the country to find better weather.

The southern region, specifically Abha and Al Bahah, is the colder part of Saudi. Because of the high altitude, it is green, lush, and drastically cooler.

While Riyadh is at 45°C, Abha will be at 25°C with rain and fog. It is truly a contrast!

You should absolutely check it out, especially for a quick weekend getaway.

Or, if your job allows you to work remotely, this is the perfect time to explore Abha and Al Baha for a few weeks either by driving or taking a flight from Riyadh.

Transportation and getting around Riyadh in summer

During summer, getting around can be challenging.

If you drive, parking becomes a hunt for shadows. You will see cars clustered under the single tree in a parking lot, or people parking blocks away just to be in an underground garage.

If you must park in the sun, you need a high-quality sunshade for your windshield. Without it, your steering wheel becomes very hot and could burn your hand.

If you don’t drive, you’re using Uber or Careem (check my must-have apps for expats).

E-hailing are everywhere, but demand spikes when the sun goes down as more people are coming out after sunset.

The big game-changer for 2025 is the Riyadh Metro. It has just started operating in early 2025.

If it is fully operational near your accommodation, you can use it. It is very clean (quite the opposite of the London Tube), air-conditioned, and a perfect escape from the heavy traffic.

It is the best way to hop between the major districts and malls without dealing with the traffic and the heat.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it actually dangerous to go outside in July/August? 

Yes, it can be dangerous if you stay out too long during the day (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM). Heat exhaustion and sunstroke happen quickly. It is safe to walk outside in the early morning or late at night.

Do businesses close during the hottest part of the day? 

Corporate offices stay open, but many small street shops close for an afternoon break (roughly 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM) and reopen in the evening. Malls and supermarkets generally stay open all day.

How do people survive 45°C+ (113°F)? Is there AC everywhere? 

Yes, Air Conditioning is everywhere—homes, offices, cars, malls, and even some bus stops. You survive by moving from one AC bubble to another and avoiding direct sun exposure.

Can I walk around the city during the day in summer, or do I need a car for everything? 

You absolutely need a car, a taxi (Uber/Careem), or the Metro. Riyadh is not a walkable city in the summer during the day.

Does it ever rain in the desert? 

Yes, but rarely in summer. Summer is extremely dry. Rain usually happens in the winter or during spring thunderstorms.

What is a sandstorm like? How long do they last? 

A sandstorm turns the sky darker and reduces visibility significantly. The air feels heavy and dusty. They can last a few hours or a whole day. If one hits, stay inside and seal your windows.

Will my flight be cancelled due to dust storms? 

It is possible, but modern airports are equipped for this. Delays are more common than full cancellations unless the storm is severe.

What should I wear so I don’t overheat but still respect local dress codes? 

Stick to loose-fitting clothes made of natural fabrics like cotton or linen. Avoid tight synthetic clothes. Covering your skin actually keeps you cooler than exposing it to direct sun.

Is the Abaya hot to wear in summer? 

Not if you choose the right fabric. Summer Abayas are made of very light, breathable material that allows airflow. Black absorbs heat, so I personally opt for lighter colors in summer (like beige, grey, or mauve).

Do men wear shorts in the summer heat? 

While you might see it in gyms or private compounds, it is generally better for men to wear long trousers in public places like malls or government buildings to be respectful. Light linen trousers are cooler than shorts in direct sun anyway.

When is the ‘Riyadh Season’ weather-wise? 

Riyadh Season (the massive entertainment festival) starts in October or November. This coincides with the weather cooling down, making it the perfect time for outdoor events.

Is October too hot to visit Riyadh? 

October is a transition month. I personally would wait till late November or December to visit. The weather is way more pleasant for you to walk around and enjoy spending time in the city.

When is the best time for outdoor picnic or desert camping? 

November – February, during winter mostly.

Is Riyadh hotter than Dubai? 

In terms of temperature, Riyadh is often hotter than Dubai. However, Riyadh is dry heat, whereas Dubai is more humid. Most people find Riyadh’s dry heat slightly more bearable than Dubai’s sauna humidity.

Is weather in Riyadh different from Jeddah? 

Yes, very different. Jeddah is coastal, so it is humid and sticky. You sweat instantly. Riyadh is inland and desert-based, so it is dry and crisp. You won’t feel sweaty in Riyadh, but you will dehydrate faster.

Does it get dangerous when it rains?

Yes, mainly because of driving conditions. The roads can flood within minutes (flash floods), making driving risky. It is best to wait until the water recedes.

What should I do during a sandstorm?

Stay indoors and keep your windows tight. If you must go out, wear a mask to protect your lungs from the dust. If you are driving, slow down and turn on your hazards if visibility is low. If you are new to driving in the Saudi Arabia, read my article on how to get Saudi driving license for expats.