Doha, the capital of Qatar, sits on the east coast of the Qatar peninsula on the Persian Gulf, on flat, low desert terrain at approximately 25.29°N, 51.53°E. It has a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — among the hottest and most humid in the world — with long, extremely hot summers and short, mild winters. Rain is very scarce and the coastal position adds oppressive humidity to the desert heat.

Summer, from June to September, is long, brutally hot and — on the coast — very humid, with July the hottest month — average highs around 42°C and peaks that can exceed 45–48°C. The Gulf loads the air with humidity, so the combination of heat and moisture can push the 'feels-like' temperature well beyond 50°C, and nights stay stiflingly warm. The dry Shamal wind can bring blowing dust. Rain is essentially nonexistent for months.

Winter, from December to February, is mild, sunny and pleasant, with January the coolest month — average highs around 22–23°C and comfortable nights near 13–15°C. This is comfortably the best time of year, with warm days, lower humidity and clear skies ideal for being outdoors, and it is the only season with any meaningful rain. Genuine cold is unknown.

Doha is extremely dry, receiving only around 70–80 mm of rain a year, almost all of it falling in occasional bursts between November and March; the summer is completely rainless. In spring, the Al Sarayat condition can bring thunderstorms, strong winds and heavy rain, and rare downpours can flood the flat, drainage-poor city. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Doha's weather is defined by extreme heat combined with Gulf humidity, which together make its summers among the most physically punishing anywhere — the reason the 2022 football World Cup was moved to the cooler winter months. The Shamal, a hot, dry northerly wind, is its most persistent seasonal feature, raising dust and blowing sand across the peninsula, especially in summer.

To follow any single measurement in Doha 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.