Dammam, the capital of Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, sits on the Persian Gulf coast on a low, flat desert plain at approximately 26.43°N, 50.10°E. Its Gulf position gives it a hot desert climate (Köppen BWh) — with extremely hot, humid summers and mild winters — the humidity making its heat among the most punishing in the Kingdom.

Summer, from May to September, is extremely hot and humid, with July and August the hottest — highs regularly reaching 43–45°C and sultry nights near 30°C. The Gulf loads the air with moisture, pushing the 'feels-like' temperature well beyond 50°C, and air conditioning is essential. Rain is entirely absent, and the shamal wind raises dust and sandstorms.

Winter, from December to February, is mild, sunny and pleasant, with January the coolest month — highs around 21–22°C and cool nights near 12–14°C. Humidity is lower and the skies are clear, though occasional cold snaps and blustery shamal winds can chill the coast. This mild, dry stretch is comfortably the best time of year.

Dammam is very dry, receiving only around 75–85 mm of rain a year, almost all of it in occasional bursts between November and April, while the long summer is entirely rainless. Sudden downpours can flood the flat, drainage-poor terrain. Live rainfall, humidity, and pressure readings for the city are shown in the panels above.

Dammam's combination of extreme heat and Gulf humidity produces some of the highest heat-index readings anywhere on earth — nearby Dhahran once recorded a heat index approaching 81°C. The shamal, a strong northwesterly wind, sweeps dust and sand across the Eastern Province, most often in early summer.

To follow any single measurement in Dammam 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.