Riyadh weather in March

In March, Riyadh sees average daytime highs of 28°C and overnight lows near 15°C, with 11 mm of rain across 1.9 wet days and about 11.8 hours of daylight. It is the 8th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 30°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in March, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 11 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, March is Riyadh's 10th-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Riyadh's year-round climate.

Daytime high
28°
8th warmest
Overnight low
15°
4th coldest
Rainfall
11 mm
1.9 wet days
Daylight
11 h 48 min
6:08 AM – 5:57 PM
Cloud cover
27%
10th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
6.23 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.9
out of 10

Riyadh is capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia.

Density
2,339/km²
people per km²
Founded
1746

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in March

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 26°C in the first days to 30°C by the end.

A typical March day in Riyadh reaches about 28°C in the afternoon and slips back to 15°C overnight — a 13°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 22°C and 33°C. Set against its neighbours, March runs about 4°C warmer than February and about 6°C cooler than April.

10°20°30°40°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
12513
22613
32613
42613
52613
62614
72614
82714
92714
102714
112714
122714
132715
142715
152715
162815
172815
182815
192815
202816
212816
222816
232816
242916
252916
262917
272917
282917
293017
303017
313018

How March really feels in Riyadh

Once humidity and wind are folded in, March averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

March sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Riyadh weather by month

How March compares with the rest of the year at a glance. March is the 8th-warmest and 2nd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan20° / 11210.68.1
Feb23° / 11°51.511.18.9
Mar28° / 15°111.911.87.9
Apr33° / 20°142.712.64.3
May39° / 25°20.613.20.9
Jun42° / 28°0013.50.0
Jul43° / 29°0013.40.0
Aug43° / 29°0012.90.0
Sep40° / 26°0012.20.4
Oct35° / 21°10.211.43.8
Nov27° / 15°112.110.88.0
Dec22° / 10°91.710.58.6

Cloud cover in March

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 69% of the time in March.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of March, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 19%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18614
28614
38515
48416
58416
68416
78317
88218
98218
108119
118119
127921
137921
147921
157921
167921
177921
187921
197921
207921
218020
228119
238119
248119
258119
268119
278119
288119
298119
308119
318020

Chance of precipitation in March

Any precipitation

Riyadh gets around 11 mm of rain over 1.9 wet days in March. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 6% and peaks near 8% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
16
26
36
45
55
65
75
85
95
105
115
125
135
146
156
166
177
187
197
207
218
228
238
248
258
268
278
287
297
307
317

Humidity in March

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of March feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, March lands in the dry band about 95% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19730
29730
39730
49820
59820
69820
79820
89820
99820
109820
119820
129730
139730
149631
159541
169541
179541
189541
199442
209442
219442
229442
239442
249442
259442
269442
279343
289343
299442
309442
319442

Wind in March

Winds average 15 km/h in March, the windiest month of the year.

Across March, daily wind ranges from about 15 km/h on the calmest days to 16 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
115light breeze
215light breeze
315light breeze
415light breeze
515light breeze
615light breeze
715light breeze
815light breeze
915light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1716light breeze
1816light breeze
1916light breeze
2016light breeze
2116light breeze
2216light breeze
2316light breeze
2416light breeze
2516light breeze
2616light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in March

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min at the start of March to 12 h 12 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over March. Sunrise moves from 6:23 AM to 5:52 AM, and sunset from 5:50 PM to 6:04 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
111.56:235:50
211.56:225:51
311.56:215:51
411.56:205:52
511.66:195:52
611.66:185:53
711.66:175:53
811.66:165:54
911.66:155:54
1011.76:145:55
1111.76:135:55
1211.76:125:56
1311.76:115:56
1411.86:105:56
1511.86:095:57
1611.86:085:57
1711.86:075:58
1811.96:065:58
1911.96:055:59
2011.96:045:59
2111.96:036:00
2212.06:026:00
2312.06:016:00
2412.06:006:01
2512.05:596:01
2612.15:586:02
2712.15:576:02
2812.15:566:03
2912.15:546:03
3012.25:536:03
3112.25:526:04

Solar energy in March

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in March, about 6.23 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.2 kWh/m² to a high of 7.73 kWh/m² in June across the year — March's 6.23 kWh/m² falls in the middle.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.9Bright
25.9Bright
35.9Bright
46.0Bright
56.0Bright
66.0Bright
76.0Intense
86.0Intense
96.1Intense
106.1Intense
116.1Intense
126.1Intense
136.1Intense
146.2Intense
156.2Intense
166.2Intense
176.2Intense
186.2Intense
196.3Intense
206.3Intense
216.3Intense
226.3Intense
236.4Intense
246.4Intense
256.4Intense
266.5Intense
276.5Intense
286.5Intense
296.6Intense
306.6Intense
316.6Intense
Planning a trip in March

Hazard calendar for Riyadh

In seasonPeak

In March, Riyadh sits inside its dust season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Riyadh sees seasonal dust haze (February–September), heaviest in May.

Dust
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is March a good time to visit Riyadh?

Our two travel scores rate March for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

7.9
Sightseeing
5th-best month of the year
8.4
Beach & pool
1st-best month of the year

March is one of the better times to visit Riyadh for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Riyadh in March

From March's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In March, Riyadh sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 15°C. Pack light clothes and sun protection.

light clothessun protection

UV index in Riyadh in March

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in March peaks around 9 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Riyadh peaks around July 20 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 4 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highVery highExtremeVery highModerateJul 20UV 11Dec 15UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb7Very high
Mar9Very high
Apr7Very high
May10Extreme
Jun9Very high
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep9Very high
Oct8Very high
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate

Air quality in Riyadh in March

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where March falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Riyadh is worst in March — around 93 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 1.8× the cleanest month (October, 51 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0306090120JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecUnhealthyPoorUnhealthyMar 2192 µg/m³Oct 1352 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan68Unhealthy
Feb75Unhealthy
Mar93Unhealthy
Apr89Unhealthy
May85Unhealthy
Jun71Unhealthy
Jul70Unhealthy
Aug65Unhealthy
Sep54Poor
Oct51Poor
Nov59Unhealthy
Dec63Unhealthy
Location & terrain

Where is Riyadh?

Riyadh sits at 24.7°N, 46.7°E, 612 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is ‘Irqah, 11 km away.

Ḥawṭah Banī TamīmShaqraAd Dawādimī

Topography around Riyadh

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Riyadh.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Riyadh has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 58 m around an average of 610 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 194 m; within 80 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 688 m.

The land around Riyadh is covered by artificial surfaces (86%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (74%) and bare terrain (23%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (93%) within 80 km.

3 km
58 m
16 km
194 m
80 km
688 m
treescroplandartificial surfacesbare terrain
March weather nearby: ‘Irqah 11 km · Ad Dir‘īyah 20 km · Al Kharj 86 km · Ad Dilam 89 km · Rumāḩ 107 km · Ḥawṭah Banī Tamīm 133 km · Shaqra 160 km · Ad Dawādimī 236 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 Riyadh (24.6877°, 46.7219°, elevation 612 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. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).