Climate of Yemen
Where is the country of Yemen located? Yemen (internationally: Yemen) is a country in the southwest of the Arabian Peninsula and politically belongs to the Middle East region. Most of Yemen has a warm desert climate (BWh), with warm to hot summers, warm winters and little precipitation. The western mountain area has a warm steppe climate, with temperatures not rising as high as elsewhere in Yemen and significantly higher amounts of precipitation, which can rise to more than five hundred millimeters on an annual basis. Thanks to the rain, which mainly falls within two monsoon periods (March-April is the small monsoon, July-September the large monsoon), arable farming is possible in the otherwise desert-like Yemen.
Warm summers
The summer months in Yemen are warm to very hot. Temperatures of thirty to forty degrees during the day are normal. The only place where the temperature is somewhat tempered is in the mountain areas. The capital Sanaa is relatively mild, with an average high of 29 degrees Celsius in the hottest months of June and July. Along the coastal areas, especially in the south-west, there is also a high relative humidity in addition to the high temperatures. This makes it feel oppressive in the middle of summer, making it quickly unpleasant in these hottest months.
Tishama
The coastal strip along the Red Sea and on the Gulf of Aden is desert-like, dry and hot. This region, which is called Tihama, is the warmest area of Yemen. In the summer the average maximum temperature is around 37 degrees Celsius, in the winter months the mercury is still close to or around thirty degrees during the day and it does not cool down further than about 22-23 degrees at night. With these temperatures there is a temperature course on the Tihama plain that would fit perfectly within a tropical climate. However, the amounts of precipitation are so low that there is an arid desert climate.
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 | |
| January | 22℃ | 6℃ | 8 | 3 |
| February | 23℃ | 8℃ | 8 | 3 |
| March | 25℃ | 10℃ | 8 | 5 |
| April | 26℃ | 12℃ | 9 | 7 |
| May | 27℃ | 13℃ | 9 | 8 |
| June | 29℃ | 15℃ | 8 | 6 |
| July | 29℃ | 16℃ | 6 | 4 |
| August | 28℃ | 15℃ | 7 | 6 |
| September | 28℃ | 13℃ | 8 | 4 |
| October | 24℃ | 9℃ | 9 | 3 |
| November | 22℃ | 6℃ | 9 | 3 |
| December | 22℃ | 5℃ | 8 | 3 |
Best time to visit Yemen
Do you want to know when is the best time to travel to Yemen? 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. Yemen is the southernmost country and is not a real holiday destination for the average tourist. It is very unsafe for visitors. If you look at the official travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, you will understand that you are not traveling to Yemen for just any holiday. A pity, because Yemen has a number of special sights, some of which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List. You should think of the old town of Saana, the old walled city of Shibam and the historic city of Zabid. If you do want to or have to travel to Yemen, you have to count on warm to very warm weather conditions in a fairly large part of the country. The western plateau, where the capital Saana is located, is more temperate. There the maximum temperatures are around 21-23 degrees Celsius in the winter and around 26 to 30 degrees in the summer months. The desert climate on the Red Sea coast causes drought (often less than a hundred millimeters of rain per year) and higher temperatures. Highs of 36 to more than 40 degrees in the summer are normal there. On the Gulf of Aden, the weather is slightly more moderate. There, the maximum temperature in the hottest summer months is on average between 32 and 36 degrees Celsius.
Best months
Based on the weather conditions throughout Yemen, we can indicate the period November to April as the best time to travel. It may be a bit wetter on the island of Socotra, but the amounts of rain can be almost neglected even then.
Tropical Cyclones
Occasionally, Yemen falls under the influence of tropical cyclones. This can happen from May to December. This is more likely at the beginning and end of the hurricane season. Due to its location in the sea, the island of Socotra is more vulnerable to this natural phenomenon that can cause very strong winds and fairly heavy rainfall.
