Heatwave Expected During Hajj Pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia

The upcoming Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, scheduled for next month, is anticipated to encounter scorching temperatures, as per the head of the Saudi National Centre of Meteorology.

Ayman Ghulam highlighted that this year’s Hajj season, slated from June 24 to 29, will coincide with the region’s “hottest time of year,” characterized by elevated temperatures and humidity levels.

After a recent workshop analyzing the climate impact on the 2024 pilgrimage, Ghulam emphasized the importance of sharing weather forecasts with relevant agencies to enable them to implement necessary precautions during Hajj.

The extreme heat poses significant health risks for the millions of Muslims expected to participate in the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah and surrounding holy sites. Saudi authorities are gearing up for what they anticipate will be record numbers of pilgrims, following a surge of 30 million Umrah pilgrims during Ramazan.