Thuwal in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Thuwal sees average daytime highs around 28°C and overnight lows near 21°C, with 30 mm of rain over about 5 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the 2nd-wettest season.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels comfortable.
Winter is Thuwal's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Thuwal's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 28°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 21°C
- Rainfall
- 30 mm
- 5 wet days
- Avg wind
- 16 km/h
- Travel score
- 8.0
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Thuwal in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 28°C.
A typical winter day in Thuwal reaches about 28°C and drops to 21°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Thuwal
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.
Thuwal 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 | 27° / 20° | 16 | 2.2 | 10.8 | 8.3 |
| Feb | 28° / 21° | 2 | 0.6 | 11.2 | 8.4 |
| Mar | 29° / 22° | 3 | 0.6 | 11.8 | 7.2 |
| Apr | 32° / 24° | 3 | 0.5 | 12.5 | 5.6 |
| May | 34° / 26° | 1 | 0.2 | 13.1 | 4.0 |
| Jun | 35° / 27° | 0 | 0 | 13.3 | 3.3 |
| Jul | 36° / 29° | 0 | 0 | 13.2 | 2.6 |
| Aug | 36° / 30° | 0 | 0 | 12.8 | 2.6 |
| Sep | 36° / 28° | 0 | 0 | 12.1 | 3.0 |
| Oct | 34° / 27° | 2 | 0.5 | 11.5 | 3.8 |
| Nov | 31° / 24° | 29 | 2.2 | 10.9 | 5.6 |
| Dec | 29° / 22° | 12 | 2.2 | 10.7 | 7.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 77% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Thuwal gets around 30 mm of rain over 5 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 16 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 30 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 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Thuwal
None of Thuwal's seasonal hazards peak in winter. The full-year calendar below shows when the rainy season, cyclone risk and dust haze do.
Thuwal sees seasonal dust haze (April–September), heaviest in June.
Is winter a good time to visit Thuwal?
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 Thuwal for general sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Thuwal in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Thuwal sees daytime highs around 28°C and nights near 21°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Thuwal in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 26°C across winter — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 26 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 27 |
| Comfort | Warm | Warm | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Warm |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | Warm |
| Feb | 25 | Warm |
| Mar | 25 | Warm |
| Apr | 27 | Warm |
| May | 28 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 30 | Tropical |
| Aug | 31 | Tropical |
| Sep | 31 | Tropical |
| Oct | 31 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 27 | Warm |
UV index in Thuwal 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 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 4 |
| Level | High | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 10 | Very high |
| Apr | 10 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 9 | Very high |
| Nov | 6 | High |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Thuwal 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 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 39 | 37 | 40 | 39 | 32 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 36 |
| Level | Poor | Poor | Poor | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Poor |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39 | Poor |
| Feb | 37 | Poor |
| Mar | 40 | Poor |
| Apr | 39 | Poor |
| May | 32 | Moderate |
| Jun | 28 | Moderate |
| Jul | 27 | Moderate |
| Aug | 28 | Moderate |
| Sep | 27 | Moderate |
| Oct | 25 | Moderate |
| Nov | 25 | Moderate |
| Dec | 36 | Poor |
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.
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.
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.