Muscat, the capital of Oman, sits on the country's northeastern coast on the Gulf of Oman, wedged between the sea and the rugged Al Hajar Mountains that rise steeply behind it, at approximately 23.59°N, 58.41°E. It has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — among the hottest of any capital — with long, extremely hot summers and warm winters. The dark rock of the surrounding mountains traps heat, so the city barely cools even at night in summer.

Summer, from May to September, is long, brutally hot and — on the coast — very humid, with June the hottest month — average highs around 40°C and peaks that can approach or exceed 45°C. The nearby sea loads the air with humidity that can top 85–90%, making the heat feel suffocating, while the surrounding rocks radiate warmth so that nights stay stiflingly warm. A hot desert wind, the Gharbi, off the Empty Quarter can push temperatures higher still. Rain is essentially absent.

Winter, from December to February, is warm, sunny and pleasant, with January the coolest month — average highs around 25°C and comfortable nights near 17–19°C, occasionally cooler. This is the only season with meaningful rain and comfortably the best time to visit, with warm days, low humidity and blue skies, though the sea stays warm enough for swimming almost year-round.

Muscat is very dry, receiving only around 90–100 mm of rain a year, falling mainly between December and April, while the long summer is effectively rainless. What rain comes can arrive in sudden, intense bursts that flood the normally dry wadis, and very occasionally a tropical cyclone spinning up from the Arabian Sea brings destructive wind and heavy rain to the coast. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Muscat's climate is shaped by the meeting of sea and mountain: the Al Hajar range at its back traps and radiates heat, keeping summer nights sweltering, while the Gulf of Oman loads the summer air with oppressive humidity. Unlike the far south of Oman around Salalah, which is cooled by the Khareef monsoon, Muscat sees no monsoon relief — its respite comes only with the mild, dry winter. Rare Arabian Sea cyclones are its most dramatic weather hazard.

To follow any single measurement in Muscat more closely, use our live instruments: the online barometer for atmospheric pressure, the thermometer for temperature, the hygrometer for humidity, the anemometer for wind speed, the wind vane for wind direction, and the rain gauge for rainfall.