The Saudi National Meteorological Center has announced that the Hajj season of 2025 will be the last to take place during the intense summer heat for the next 16 years. Starting in 2026, the annual pilgrimage will gradually shift into cooler seasons, first moving to spring and eventually transitioning to winter. This change is due to the lunar calendar’s 10-day annual regression.
This shift offers relief to millions of pilgrims who have endured extreme heat during previous Hajj seasons. In 2024, temperatures in Mecca reached a scorching 46°C to 51°C, leading to over 2,760 cases of heatstroke and multiple heat-related fatalities in a single day.
According to the National Meteorological Center, the Hajj will occur during the spring months from 2026 to 2033 before moving into a winter cycle that will last until 2041. The pilgrimage will return to the summer months in 2042, starting a new nine-year period of warmer weather for the event.
In response to the increasing risks of extreme heat, Saudi authorities have strengthened their efforts to protect pilgrims. These measures include the addition of spacious shaded areas, more water stations, mobile cooling units, and public heat awareness campaigns.
In 2024, the Kingdom introduced 33 new weather monitoring stations and expanded the use of mobile radars to improve real-time climate monitoring across Hajj zones.
With 1.8 million pilgrims expected for Hajj 2025, Saudi authorities are preparing for one last summer challenge before the pilgrimage transitions into what many hope will be a safer, cooler, and more sustainable future.
