Riyadh vs Ad Dammam: which is sunnier?
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia vs 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · 353 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Riyadh is the sunnier overall: about 3,722 hours of sunshine a year to Ad Dammam's 3,439. Ad Dammam has the higher Sunshine Score in 5 of 12 months, Riyadh in 1 (6 within 2 points).
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Riyadh | Ad Dammam | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,722 | 3,439 |
| Sunniest month | January (99/100) | February (99/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 99/100 | 98/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 0/100 | 10/100 |
| Rain / year | 33 mm | 45 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 11 (extreme) | 10 (very high) |
Riyadh vs Ad Dammam month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | Ad Dammam | Riyadh | Ad Dammam | Riyadh | Ad Dammam | |
| January | 99 | 98 | 20° | 21° | 6 | 8 |
| February | 99 | 99 | 24° | 22° | 4 | 6 |
| March | 99 | 99 | 28° | 26° | 3 | 4 |
| April | 79 | 99 | 34° | 31° | 6 | 4 |
| May | 20 | 50 | 40° | 37° | 1 | 0 |
| June | 0 | 20 | 42° | 40° | 0 | 0 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 44° | 42° | 0 | 0 |
| August | 0 | 10 | 43° | 41° | 0 | 0 |
| September | 20 | 30 | 40° | 39° | 0 | 0 |
| October | 80 | 70 | 34° | 35° | 0 | 1 |
| November | 99 | 97 | 27° | 28° | 7 | 12 |
| December | 99 | 98 | 21° | 23° | 6 | 10 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Ad Dammam · May Ad Dammam · Jun Ad Dammam · Jul even · Aug Ad Dammam · Sep Ad Dammam · Oct Riyadh · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Riyadh averages 99/100, Ad Dammam 98/100. Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 24°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Ad Dammam (average score 83/100 vs 66). Riyadh is the warmer, around 34°C daytime highs vs 31°C.
- June–August: Ad Dammam (average score 10/100 vs 0). Riyadh is the warmer, around 43°C daytime highs vs 41°C.
- September–October: too close to call — Riyadh averages 50/100, Ad Dammam 50/100. Daytime highs are similar (37°C vs 37°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Riyadh weather by month · Ad Dammam weather by month · Best time to visit Saudi Arabia.
More comparisons: Riyadh vs Qassim · Riyadh vs Manama · Ad Dammam vs Doha · Ad Dammam vs Manama · Ad Dammam vs Bushehr · all head-to-heads