What Is the Lowest Temperature Ever Recorded in Saudi Arabia?

In the winter of 2022, Turayf Governorate, located in the Northern Borders Province, recorded a temperature of minus six °C, marking the lowest temperature in the past thirty years in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, according to the National Center for Meteorology. Winter in the Kingdom typically begins in mid-December and lasts until mid-March. The mountainous areas in the south and north of the Kingdom, as well as some low-lying areas in the north, experience the lowest temperatures. In the winter of 2024, Turayf Governorate again recorded minus six °C as the lowest temperature among the cities and governorates of the Kingdom.

The average maximum temperature during winter across the cities and regions of the Kingdom ranges between twenty °C and thirty °C. Snowfall occurs in the mountainous areas to the north of the Kingdom, including Jabal al-Lawz, a peak in the northwest of the country. Jabal al-Lawz, named for its abundance of almond trees, reaches an elevation of 2,600 m above sea level.