Kuwait Climate – June 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Kuwait City, Ahmadi, Hawalli, Salmiya, and Jahra
This month in numbers
Kuwait experienced its 16th warmest June on record, with an average temperature of 36.82°C, which is 1.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. Globally, June 2026 was the 3rd warmest June on record for land temperatures.
What changed
The period from April to June 2026 was exceptionally warm, ranking as the 2nd warmest such period on record for Kuwait, with an average temperature of 33.12°C, a significant 2.8°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. This trend aligns with the global picture, as global land temperatures for the same three-month period also ranked as the 2nd warmest on record. Kuwait's climate is characterised by long, hot, and dry summers.
What’s driving change?
Kuwait is currently under the influence of persistent high-pressure systems, creating a heat dome effect that traps hot air and prevents cooling breezes. This is exacerbated by the effect, where cities absorb and retain heat, releasing it slowly at night. Additionally, the dry, hot northwesterly Semoom winds are active during this season, bringing both heat and dust, which further traps heat in the lower atmosphere. Kuwait's hyper-arid desert climate, with minimal rainfall, means there is little to moderate the intense solar radiation. The Middle East, including Kuwait, is warming at twice the global average.
Looking ahead
The heatwave affecting the Middle East, which began in mid-May, is expected to persist throughout the summer months, with the most intense heat anticipated in July and August.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Kuwait
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Kuwait – Monthly Temperature – All Years
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Records – Kuwait
Our World in Data / NOAA - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm/cold + wet/dryKöppen BWh · AridKuwait has both a clear warm/cold cycle (±12.4°C) and a wet/dry cycle (24× wet:dry ratio). Both sides of the annual rhythm are shown below.
Monthly rainfall climatology. A “wet month” exceeds the baseline monthly mean (dashed gold line). Biggest month-to-month shift: Jan (-8 mm, -35%).
Data: Our World in Data / NOAA (rainfall: World Bank CCKP / CRU TS 4.08). Baseline: first 30 yrs on record. Recent: last 10 yrs on record.
Rainfall & Precipitation
Rainfall & Rain Days – Totals
Headline: anomaly vs the 1961–1990 mean. Small figure: the actual value. Rank: position in the full record (1st = highest ever). Record: highest (or lowest) value on record with its year.
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Kuwait
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Kuwait changing?
Kuwait is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Kuwait come from?
Climate data for Kuwait comes from Our World in Data, sourcing Copernicus ERA5 and HadCRUT5 (national temperature anomaly) and the Global Carbon Project via Our World in Data (CO₂ emissions), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Kuwait climate data cover?
The Kuwait climate profile covers Kuwait City, Ahmadi, Hawalli, Salmiya and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Kuwait
How often is the Kuwait climate update refreshed?
The Kuwait climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.