Wadi Rum in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Wadi Rum sees average daytime highs around 16°C and overnight lows near 5°C, with 18 mm of rain over about 4 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the wettest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 16°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Wadi Rum's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Wadi Rum's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 16°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 5°C
- Rainfall
- 18 mm
- 4 wet days
- Avg wind
- 9 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.3
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Wadi Rum in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 16°C.
A typical winter day in Wadi Rum reaches about 16°C and drops to 5°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Wadi Rum
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Wadi Rum weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14° / 4° | 8 | 1.9 | 10.3 | 5.5 |
| Feb | 16° / 5° | 6 | 1.6 | 10.9 | 6.7 |
| Mar | 20° / 8° | 5 | 1.5 | 11.8 | 8.3 |
| Apr | 25° / 12° | 3 | 0.9 | 12.7 | 9.1 |
| May | 29° / 16° | 2 | 0.4 | 13.5 | 7.3 |
| Jun | 32° / 19° | 0 | 0 | 13.9 | 5.5 |
| Jul | 34° / 21° | 0 | 0 | 13.7 | 4.5 |
| Aug | 34° / 21° | 0 | 0.1 | 13.1 | 4.4 |
| Sep | 32° / 19° | 0 | 0.1 | 12.2 | 5.8 |
| Oct | 27° / 15° | 5 | 1.3 | 11.3 | 8.3 |
| Nov | 21° / 9° | 3 | 0.8 | 10.5 | 8.6 |
| Dec | 16° / 5° | 3 | 0.8 | 10.1 | 6.7 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 71% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Wadi Rum gets around 18 mm of rain over 4 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 9 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min in early December to 11 h 18 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.3 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Wadi Rum
None of Wadi Rum's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Wadi Rum sees seasonal dust haze (May), heaviest in May.
Is winter a good time to visit Wadi Rum?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Wadi Rum for sightseeing.
What to pack for Wadi Rum in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Wadi Rum sees daytime highs around 16°C and nights near 5°C. Worth packing: a warm layer and sun protection.
Sea temperature near Wadi Rum in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 22°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 58 km away) is warmest in August at about 28°C and coldest in February near 21°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 23 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 21 | Refreshing |
| Mar | 21 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 22 | Refreshing |
| May | 24 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 25 | Warm |
| Jul | 27 | Warm |
| Aug | 28 | Warm |
| Sep | 27 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 25 | Warm |
| Dec | 23 | Refreshing |
UV index in Wadi Rum in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Wadi Rum peaks around June 19 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 4 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 5 | Moderate |
| Mar | 8 | Very high |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Wadi Rum in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Wadi Rum is worst in May — around 33 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.7× the cleanest month (November, 19 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 20 | 22 | 24 | 31 | 33 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 27 | 22 | 19 | 20 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20 | Moderate |
| Feb | 22 | Moderate |
| Mar | 24 | Moderate |
| Apr | 31 | Moderate |
| May | 33 | Moderate |
| Jun | 27 | Moderate |
| Jul | 24 | Moderate |
| Aug | 25 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 22 | Moderate |
| Nov | 19 | Moderate |
| Dec | 20 | Moderate |
Where is Wadi Rum?
Wadi Rum sits at 29.6°N, 35.4°E, 0 m above sea level, in Jordan. The nearest listed city is Aqaba, 41 km away.
Topography around Wadi Rum
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Wadi Rum.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Wadi Rum has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 854 m around an average of 1,160 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 962 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,816 m.
The land around Wadi Rum is covered by bare terrain (96%) within 3 km, bare terrain (99%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (96%) within 80 km.
Jordan travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type B / C / D / F / G / J
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 42% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,348
- 2025
- Happiness
- 4.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 89%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 17
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 426
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Wadi Rum (29.5846°, 35.4263°, elevation 0 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.