Hajj 2026 Weather: High Of 44Oc In Makkah Holy Sites Starting Day Of Arafah

Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are currently flocking to the holy sites in the Saudi city of Makkah to take part in one of the biggest annual human gatherings worldwide- the Hajj . Before this year's season kicks off with the beginning of rituals on Dhul Hijjah 8 (Monday, May 25), weather authorities in the Kingdom have issued a forecast to help the faithful prepare themselves ahead.

During Hajj, pilgrims undertake long-distance walking under intense heat as they travel between the holy sites to perform their rituals, in weather conditions expected to be extremely hot as the Gulf countries enter the summer season.

AFP has earlier quoted a Saudi official as saying that over 1.5 million pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia from outside the kingdom for the upcoming Hajj , exceeding the number of international visitors last year despite the war in the Middle East. "The total number of pilgrims arriving from abroad has reached 1,518,153," Saleh Al-Murabba, the commander of Saudi Arabia's Hajj Passport Forces, told a press conference late Friday.

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For the Hajj 2026 season, the Saudi National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has issued a special weather bulletin, dividing it into two phases, as follows:

From Dhul Hijjah 1 to 8 (May 18 to May 25)

The weather authority said conditions will be hot to extremely hot during this period with clear to partly cloudy skies.

Surface winds are expected to be active, raising dust and sand, especially during daytime hours. Maximum temperatures will range between 44°C and 47°C, while temperatures will reach a low of between 28°C and 31°C. Humidity levels will range from 10% to 40%.

Winds will generally be southwesterly to northwesterly, with speeds between 15 and 40kmph.

Dhul Hijjah 9 to 13 (May 26 to May 30)

On the Day of Arafah, Dhul Hijjah 9, pilgrims can expect hot conditions with clear to partly cloudy skies, along with expectations of active surface winds causing dust and sand, particularly during daytime periods.

Maximum temperatures will range between 42°C and 44°C, while the minimum will be between 26°C and 29°C.

Humidity levels will range between 15% and 55%. Winds will generally be northwesterly at speeds of 20 to 50 kmph. Thundercloud formation over the highlands of Taif Governorate cannot be ruled out, which may extend to the holy sites, accompanied by active surface winds raising dust and sand.

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