Thuwal weather in December

In December, Thuwal sees average daytime highs of 29°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 12 mm of rain across 2.2 wet days and about 10.7 hours of daylight. It is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month of the year here.

Highs ease over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 28°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in December, and the air most often feels humid.

Daylight stretches from about 10 h 42 min at the start of December to 10 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, December is Thuwal's 11th-clearest and 10th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Thuwal's year-round climate.

Daytime high
29°
10th warmest
Overnight low
22°
4th coldest
Rainfall
12 mm
2.2 wet days
Daylight
10 h 36 min
7:00 AM – 5:39 PM
Cloud cover
23%
11th clearest
Wind
15 km/h
10th windiest
Solar energy
4.34 kWh/m²
Travel score
7.3
out of 10

Thuwal is human settlement in Saudi Arabia.

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

Temperature in December

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs ease over the month, from about 30°C in the first days to 28°C by the end.

A typical December day in Thuwal reaches about 29°C in the afternoon and slips back to 22°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 26°C and 32°C. Set against its neighbours, December runs about 3°C cooler than November and about 2°C warmer than January.

15°20°25°30°35°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
13023
23023
33023
43023
53023
62923
72923
82923
92923
102922
112922
122922
132922
142922
152922
162922
172922
182922
192922
202922
212822
222822
232822
242822
252822
262822
272821
282821
292821
302821
312821

How December really feels in Thuwal

Once humidity and wind are folded in, December 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

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

Thuwal weather by month

How December compares with the rest of the year at a glance. December is the 10th-warmest and 3rd-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan27° / 20°162.210.88.3
Feb28° / 21°20.611.28.4
Mar29° / 22°30.611.87.2
Apr32° / 24°30.512.55.6
May34° / 26°10.213.14.0
Jun35° / 27°0013.33.3
Jul36° / 29°0013.22.6
Aug36° / 30°0012.82.6
Sep36° / 28°0012.13.0
Oct34° / 27°20.511.53.8
Nov31° / 24°292.210.95.6
Dec29° / 22°122.210.77.3

Cloud cover in December

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time in December.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 9% of December, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 14%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
18911
28911
38812
48812
58614
68614
78614
88614
98614
108515
118515
128515
138614
148614
158614
168614
178713
188713
198713
208713
218713
228812
238812
248713
258713
268713
278515
288515
298416
308416
318416

Chance of precipitation in December

Any precipitation

Thuwal gets around 12 mm of rain over 2.2 wet days in December. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 7% and peaks near 8% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
18
28
38
47
57
67
77
87
97
106
116
126
136
146
156
166
176
186
196
206
216
227
237
247
257
267
278
288
298
308
318

Humidity in December

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, December lands in the humid band about 28% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 35% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
1817243219
2918243218
3918253117
41018253116
51118253115
61118253114
71219263013
81319263012
91319272911
101420272910
11142028289
12152129288
13152129278
14152230267
15152330266
16152330256
17152431256
18162431245
19162530245
20162530235
21162630235
22162630235
23162630235
24162630236
25172530236
26172529236
27172529236
28172529236
29172529226
30182529226
31192629216

Wind in December

Winds average 15 km/h in December.

Across December, daily wind ranges from about 14 km/h on the calmest days to 15 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1015light breeze
1115light breeze
1215light breeze
1315light breeze
1415light breeze
1515light breeze
1615light breeze
1715light breeze
1815light breeze
1915light breeze
2015light breeze
2115light breeze
2215light breeze
2315light breeze
2415light breeze
2515light breeze
2615light breeze
2715light breeze
2815light breeze
2915light breeze
3015light breeze
3115light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in December

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min at the start of December to 10 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 0 minutes over December. Sunrise moves from 6:51 AM to 7:07 AM, and sunset from 5:35 PM to 5:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
110.76:515:35
210.76:525:35
310.76:535:36
410.76:535:36
510.76:545:36
610.76:545:36
710.76:555:36
810.76:565:37
910.76:565:37
1010.76:575:37
1110.76:585:37
1210.76:585:38
1310.76:595:38
1410.76:595:38
1510.67:005:39
1610.67:005:39
1710.67:015:39
1810.67:015:40
1910.67:025:40
2010.67:025:41
2110.67:035:41
2210.67:035:42
2310.67:045:42
2410.67:045:43
2510.67:055:43
2610.67:055:44
2710.67:065:44
2810.67:065:45
2910.67:065:45
3010.77:075:46
3110.77:075:46

Solar energy in December

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in December, about 4.34 kWh/m² — the year's lowest.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 4.34 kWh/m² to a high of 7.51 kWh/m² in May across the year — December's 4.34 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

012345151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
14.5Bright
24.5Bright
34.5Bright
44.4Bright
54.4Bright
64.4Bright
74.4Bright
84.4Bright
94.4Bright
104.4Bright
114.4Bright
124.4Bright
134.3Bright
144.3Bright
154.3Bright
164.3Bright
174.3Bright
184.3Bright
194.3Bright
204.3Bright
214.3Bright
224.3Bright
234.3Bright
244.3Bright
254.3Bright
264.3Bright
274.3Bright
284.3Bright
294.3Bright
304.3Bright
314.3Bright
Planning a trip in December

Hazard calendar for Thuwal

In seasonPeak

None of Thuwal's seasonal hazards are active in December. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do peak.

Thuwal sees seasonal dust haze (April–September), heaviest in June.

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

Is December a good time to visit Thuwal?

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

7.3
Sightseeing
3rd-best month of the year
8.8
Beach & pool
3rd-best month of the year

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

What to pack for Thuwal in December

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

In December, Thuwal sees daytime highs around 29°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes.

light clothes

Sea temperature near Thuwal in December

The nearest coast averages about 27°C in December — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 31°C and coldest in February near 25°C.

The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.

24°26°28°30°32°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan26Warm
Feb25Warm
Mar25Warm
Apr27Warm
May28Tropical
Jun29Tropical
Jul30Tropical
Aug31Tropical
Sep31Tropical
Oct31Tropical
Nov29Tropical
Dec27Warm

UV index in Thuwal in December

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in December peaks 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 Thuwal peaks around June 13 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 16 at about 4 (moderate).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecHighVery highExtremeVery highModerateJun 13UV 11Dec 16UV 4
UV index (midday)Level
Jan6High
Feb8Very high
Mar10Very high
Apr10Extreme
May11Extreme
Jun11Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug10Very high
Sep10Very high
Oct9Very high
Nov6High
Dec4Moderate

Air quality in Thuwal in December

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

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

Air quality in Thuwal is worst in March — around 40 µg/m³ PM2.5 (poor), and holds fairly steady the rest of the year.

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

0204060JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPoorModerateMar 2339 µg/m³Nov 925 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan39Poor
Feb37Poor
Mar40Poor
Apr39Poor
May32Moderate
Jun28Moderate
Jul27Moderate
Aug28Moderate
Sep27Moderate
Oct25Moderate
Nov25Moderate
Dec36Poor
Location & terrain

Where is Thuwal?

Thuwal sits at 22.3°N, 39.1°E, 6 m above sea level, in Saudi Arabia. The nearest listed city is Khulayş, 26 km away.

MeccaBadr ḨunaynTa'ifAsh Shafā

Topography around Thuwal

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Thuwal has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 19 m around an average of 5 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 104 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,568 m.

The land around Thuwal is covered by bare terrain (59%) and artificial surfaces (29%) within 3 km, bare terrain (60%) and water (37%) within 16 km, and bare terrain (66%) and water (32%) within 80 km.

3 km
19 m
16 km
104 m
80 km
1,568 m
artificial surfacesbare terrainwater
December weather nearby: Khulayş 26 km · Rābigh 58 km · Jeddah 88 km · Al Jumūm 95 km · Mecca 120 km · Badr Ḩunayn 170 km · Ta'if 175 km · Ash Shafā 183 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 Thuwal (22.2827°, 39.1125°, elevation 6 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. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. 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).