Riyadh vs Qassim: which is sunnier?
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia vs 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia · 329 km apart · long-term climate normals (NASA POWER, 2001–2020)
Riyadh and Qassim are virtually tied for annual sunshine — about 3,722 vs 3,777 hours a year. Month by month it's balanced: each has the higher Sunshine Score in 2 months, with 8 within 2 points.
Scores are the 0–100 Sunshine Score — sunshine, daytime warmth and dryness in one number, per month.
At a glance
| Riyadh | Qassim | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunshine hours / year | 3,722 | 3,777 |
| Sunniest month | January (99/100) | January (100/100) |
| Nov–Feb average score | 99/100 | 99/100 |
| Jun–Aug average score | 0/100 | 0/100 |
| Rain / year | 33 mm | 29 mm |
| Peak midday UV | 11 (extreme) | 11 (extreme) |
Riyadh vs Qassim month by month
| Month | Sunshine Score | Day high °C | Rain mm | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | Qassim | Riyadh | Qassim | Riyadh | Qassim | |
| January | 99 | 100 | 20° | 20° | 6 | 2 |
| February | 99 | 100 | 24° | 23° | 4 | 2 |
| March | 99 | 100 | 28° | 28° | 3 | 1 |
| April | 79 | 89 | 34° | 33° | 6 | 7 |
| May | 20 | 30 | 40° | 39° | 1 | 0 |
| June | 0 | 0 | 42° | 42° | 0 | 0 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 44° | 44° | 0 | 0 |
| August | 0 | 0 | 43° | 44° | 0 | 3 |
| September | 20 | 10 | 40° | 41° | 0 | 0 |
| October | 80 | 70 | 34° | 35° | 0 | 0 |
| November | 99 | 99 | 27° | 26° | 7 | 5 |
| December | 99 | 98 | 21° | 21° | 6 | 9 |
The sunnier month by month: Jan even · Feb even · Mar even · Apr Qassim · May Qassim · Jun even · Jul even · Aug even · Sep Riyadh · Oct Riyadh · Nov even · Dec even.
When to pick which
- November–February: too close to call — Riyadh averages 99/100, Qassim 99/100. Daytime highs are similar (23°C vs 23°C). See the winter sun ranking.
- March–May: Qassim (average score 73/100 vs 66). Daytime highs are similar (34°C vs 33°C).
- June–August: too close to call — Riyadh averages 0/100, Qassim 0/100. Daytime highs are similar (43°C vs 43°C).
- September–October: Riyadh (average score 50/100 vs 40). Daytime highs are similar (37°C vs 38°C).
Full month-by-month guides: Riyadh weather by month · Qassim weather by month · Best time to visit Saudi Arabia.
More comparisons: Riyadh vs Ad Dammam · Riyadh vs Manama · Qassim vs Medina · Qassim vs Hail · all head-to-heads