Al Ula in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Al Ula sees average daytime highs around 22°C and overnight lows near 8°C, with 11 mm of rain over about 2 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 22°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Al Ula's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Al Ula's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 22°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 8°C
- Rainfall
- 11 mm
- 2 wet days
- Avg wind
- 10 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.8
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Al Ula in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 22°C.
A typical winter day in Al Ula reaches about 22°C and drops to 8°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Al Ula
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.
Al Ula 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 | 21° / 7° | 5 | 0.7 | 10.5 | 8.5 |
| Feb | 23° / 9° | 2 | 0.4 | 11.1 | 9.1 |
| Mar | 27° / 12° | 4 | 0.7 | 11.8 | 8.7 |
| Apr | 31° / 16° | 2 | 0.7 | 12.6 | 5.7 |
| May | 36° / 20° | 1 | 0.4 | 13.3 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 39° / 23° | 0 | 0 | 13.6 | 0.9 |
| Jul | 40° / 25° | 0 | 0.1 | 13.5 | 0.3 |
| Aug | 40° / 26° | 0 | 0 | 12.9 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 39° / 23° | 0 | 0 | 12.2 | 1.1 |
| Oct | 34° / 19° | 1 | 0.3 | 11.4 | 4.3 |
| Nov | 27° / 13° | 5 | 1 | 10.7 | 8.4 |
| Dec | 22° / 9° | 4 | 0.6 | 10.4 | 8.9 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 76% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Al Ula gets around 11 mm of rain over 2 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 10 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 24 min in early December to 11 h 24 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 4.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Al Ula
None of Al Ula's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Al Ula sees seasonal dust haze (April–June), heaviest in May.
Is winter a good time to visit Al Ula?
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 one of the better times to visit Al Ula for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Al Ula in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Al Ula sees daytime highs around 22°C and nights near 8°C. Worth packing: light clothes, a warm layer and sun protection.
UV index in Al Ula in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 6 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Al Ula peaks around June 17 at about 12 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 5 (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) | 5 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Level | Moderate | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5 | Moderate |
| Feb | 7 | Very high |
| Mar | 10 | Extreme |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 12 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 5 | Moderate |
Air quality in Al Ula 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 Al Ula is worst in April — around 39 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), about 2.0× the cleanest month (July, 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) | 25 | 27 | 35 | 39 | 34 | 26 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 21 | 28 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Moderate |
| Feb | 27 | Moderate |
| Mar | 35 | Moderate |
| Apr | 39 | Poor |
| May | 34 | Moderate |
| Jun | 26 | Moderate |
| Jul | 19 | Moderate |
| Aug | 22 | Moderate |
| Sep | 24 | Moderate |
| Oct | 20 | Moderate |
| Nov | 21 | Moderate |
| Dec | 28 | Moderate |
Where is Al Ula?
Al Ula sits at 26.6°N, 37.9°E, 692 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Taymā’, 128 km away.
Topography around Al Ula
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Al Ula.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Al Ula has significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 410 m around an average of 780 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 733 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,738 m.
The land around Al Ula is covered by bare terrain (75%) within 3 km, bare terrain (94%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (99%) within 80 km.
Saudi Arabia travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 3
- Reconsider Travel
- Power plugs
- Type G
- 230 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 47% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $34,537
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.8 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Homicide rate
- 0.9
- per 100k, 2019
- Road deaths
- 35.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 404
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 Al Ula (26.6085°, 37.9232°, elevation 692 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.