Climate of Bahrain

Climate of Bahrain

Where is the country of Bahrain located? Bahrain is a country that consists of a few islands located in the Persian Gulf. The island nation is connected to the mainland by bridges. It is the King Fahddijk that connects Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. Like many countries in the Middle East, Bahrain has an arid climate type. In this case, it is the warm desert climate (BWh climate) that determines the weather in Bahrain. As a result, a large part of the land area is naturally barren. Irrigation has made arid areas of desert greener. Without human intervention, Bahrain’s landscape would look more desolate than it does today.

Heat

Compared to other Gulf countries such as Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain is slightly less warm. The perceived temperature is also slightly lower because the country consists of small islands that are surrounded by seawater. A little less warm still means: very warm in summer and pleasantly warm in winter. Due to the desert climate there is little precipitation, the chance of precipitation is greatest in winter and almost negligible in summer. In the summer period it is humid and hot. Which makes it feel very stuffy. Even in the evening it is still very warm and it sometimes seems as if a warm hair dryer is pointed at your body when it is windy. This is especially true if there is an offshore desert wind blowing.

In summer the maximum temperatures are around 40 degrees Celsius. In practice, this means that the maxima are usually between 35 and 44 degrees. Slightly higher temperatures are possible, but the tempering effect of the Persian Gulf means that heat records remain below 50 degrees. During the hottest months, it is not only very hot in Bahrain during the day. Even after sunset it can remain hot for a long time. In the months of June, July, August and September you often have to wait until well after midnight for the mercury to drop to 30 degrees.

Rain and sun

Precipitation is almost only in the period November-April. In total there is about 60 mm of rain per year in Bahrain, which is less than in one month in the Netherlands. When it rains, it mainly happens during the winter season. Especially in the period from December to April there is sometimes talk of rain. Sometimes the showers are accompanied by thunderstorms. Rain is rare in the summer. The long-term climate statistics show no precipitation at all for the months of July, August and September.

In a place where it rains little, the sun usually shines often. At least that is true for Bahrain. You can count on approximately 3400 hours of sunshine here per year. That’s a hefty amount. The month of June is the sunniest with a daily average of 11.3 hours of sunny weather.

Climate figures

The figures below are based on long-term average climate statistics. The temperatures are displayed in degrees Celsius (°C).

Maximum temperature Minimum temperature Hours of sunshine per day Days of rainfall per month Water temperature
January 20℃ 14℃ 7 2 21℃
February 21℃ 14℃ 8 2 20℃
March 25℃ 17℃ 8 2 20℃
April 29℃ 21℃ 9 1 23℃
May 34℃ 26℃ 10 0 27℃
June 36℃ 28℃ 11 0 30℃
July 39℃ 30℃ 11 0 32℃
August 40℃ 31℃ 11 0 33℃
September 37℃ 28℃ 10 0 33℃
October 33℃ 25℃ 10 0 31℃
November 28℃ 21℃ 9 1 27℃
December 22℃ 16℃ 7 2 24℃

Best time to visit Bahrain

Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Bahrain? You can determine the best time to travel to a destination based on the weather and climate. In addition, there are other factors that are not directly related to the weather and that can influence the best travel periods for a travel destination. Think, for example, of holidays or festive periods, which makes traveling more interesting or not, because daily life comes to a standstill as a result. Bahrain is an island nation in the Persian Gulf that consists of 33 islands. Due to its geographical location, Bahrain has a warm desert climate, characterized by hot dry summers and very mild winters that also show little precipitation. Based on the number of hours of sunshine and precipitation, you can actually travel to Bahrain all year round. It is the temperatures that determine the travel comfort in this case.

Best months

Because of the extreme heat that occurs here in the summer season, it is better to travel to Bahrain in the winter season. The period from November to April is therefore the best time to visit Bahrain. It is then about 20 to 30 degrees in the afternoon, with occasional peaks in November and April. The number of rainy days is then limited to an average of one to three days per month.

The hot summers

Do you want to travel to Bahrain in the summer? We would recommend that you reconsider this unless you have no other options. The average maximum temperatures in the hottest summer months are around forty degrees. The blazing sun and the relatively high relative humidity make it feel even warmer. These are not the best conditions for walking the streets of Bahrain. Even on the beach or at the pool it is then barely bearable.

Wind

There are two types of wind in Bahrain that can have a significant impact on weather conditions and air quality. The most famous wind is the Shamal. This northwesterly wind carries large amounts of sand and dust from Iraq and Saudi Arabia, which can significantly reduce visibility on the street and cause temperatures to skyrocket. This phenomenon is especially apparent in the summer months of June and July. Another wind that can blow in Bahrain is the Qaws. This is a southerly wind that occurs mainly in the spring, but can also manifest itself during other months. This hot wind can carry the necessary amount of dust or sand. An effect that always occurs with the Qaws is that the temperature rises just as sharply. Think of 30 degrees Celsius or more in the winter and temperatures of forty degrees in the spring.

Ramadan

Since Bahrain is a predominantly Muslim country, you will notice it here as soon as the fasting month takes place. During Ramadan it is difficult to get food or drink during the day. Consuming food or drink in public is then inappropriate, even for tourists. Because Ramadan is linked to the Islamic calendar, this period changes every year. Therefore, before you book a trip to Bahrain, check when Ramadan falls.

Bahrain