September Ranks as Saudi Arabia's 4th Hottest Month

Updated climate figures confirm that September remains one of the hottest months in Saudi Arabia, ranking as the fourth-hottest across the year in terms of average, maximum, and minimum temperatures. The updated statistics cover inhabited weather stations nationwide for the 1985–2025 period, offering residents a clearer picture of the Kingdom's warming climate.

Based on the long-term baseline of 1991–2020, September records a national average temperature of 30.8°C, an average maximum of 38.3°C, and an average minimum of 23.27°C. While July is identified as the hottest month, followed by August, September sits firmly within the extended hot summer to early-autumn stretch.

The data also points to a clear warming pattern. Over the 1985–2025 period, 2023 posted the highest average maximum temperature for September at 39.57°C. Analyses of recent decades identify August as the fastest-warming month, followed by September, with highly significant warming trends recorded in June, August, and September — particularly in the central region, at significance levels above 99%.

Historical extremes underline how intense the month can be. The highest recorded September temperature reached 49.4°C in Makkah on 9 September 1988 and again in Rafha on 30 September 2019. Although official climate profiles describe fall (September–November) with typical maximums of 25–35°C, observed September highs are increasingly at the upper end or above that range.

What it means for residents

Looking ahead, regional climate assessments forecast above-normal temperatures across most regions this September, with probabilities in the 65–80% range and increases of up to 2°C in some areas compared to the baseline. In western Saudi Arabia, El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions may raise the likelihood of rainfall and flood risk in autumn, adding a hydrological factor on top of persistent heat. Residents in Riyadh, Jeddah and beyond are advised to plan for sustained high temperatures and stay alert to weather updates.

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