Yemen Climate
Top 5 Cities: Sanaa, Aden, Taiz, Hodeidah, and Ibb
This month in numbers
Yemen experienced its 3rd warmest April on record in 2026, with an average temperature of 27.78°C, a significant 2.3°C above the 1961–1990 baseline. The period of February–April 2026 also ranked as the 4th warmest on record, with an anomaly of +2°C. Globally, April 2026 was the 2nd warmest April for land temperatures, and the February–April period was also the 2nd warmest on record for global land temperatures.
What changed
The consistent warmth seen in April continues a trend for Yemen, with the country experiencing its warmest year on record in 2025. This warming trend is evident in the long-term data, showing an increase of +1.66°C compared to the 1961–1990 baseline. While temperatures have been notably high, Yemen also experienced intensified rainfall in April 2026, particularly across the Northern Highlands, making it the wettest April nationwide in the past five years. This above-average rainfall, especially in western areas, contributed to favourable vegetation and crop conditions, with nearly 90% of cultivated areas showing fair-to-good vegetation performance – the best April result in five years.
What’s driving change?
The rising temperatures in Yemen are part of a broader global warming trend, with the land warming faster than the ocean. The increased temperatures in April, reaching 30–35°C in eastern and coastal areas, raised concerns about potential heatwaves. This period also saw significant rainfall, with intense accumulations above 150 mm in the Central Highlands and Southern Uplands, leading to a heightened risk of flash floods. Indeed, heavy rainfall since late March 2026 triggered widespread flooding across western Yemen, affecting at least 7,900 households and causing at least 24 fatalities, particularly in Ta'iz and Al-Hodeidah governorates. This represents an unusual concentration of flood events, with one flood event logged in May 2026 representing 100% of the annual total for Yemen. You can track active extreme weather events at Extreme Weather tracker.
Looking ahead
Temperatures are expected to continue increasing in line with seasonal patterns, with a moderate probability of above-average rainfall along the western slopes of the highlands in the coming weeks.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
Loading climate data...
Data Sources
Data Sources for Yemen
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 Yemen changing?
Yemen 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 trend rate is shown as °C per decade in the headline panel; you can also see the warmest and coolest years on file.
Where does the climate data for Yemen come from?
Climate data for Yemen 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 Yemen climate data cover?
The Yemen climate profile covers Sanaa, Aden, Taiz, Hodeidah and surrounding areas. Temperature, rainfall and emissions data for Yemen
How often is the Yemen climate update refreshed?
The Yemen 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.