Climate Qatar
Located in subtropical latitudes but in the middle of the Arabian desert, Qatar has two major seasons: the temperate winter, from November to March, and the hot summer, from June to September. Not surprisingly, the sun shines all year round, up to 14 hours a day from May to August. The best times to visit are definitely the mid-seasons, more precisely the beginning of spring and the end of autumn, in April-May and September-October. It's nice and warm during the day, but not too hot, while the evenings can be cooled by a pleasant breeze. In summer, Qatar experiences scorching temperatures, close to 50°C, even at night. This is obviously a time when everything stops and those who can leave. In winter, whose coldest months are January and February, it can be 15°C in the evening, while the day remains warm and pleasant.
A cool winter with strong thermal amplitudes
In winter, temperatures are around 24°C during the day, but drop to 13°C at night in the city, and to 8°C in the desert. Daylight only lasts about 10 hours. If you are going to camp in a Bedouin tent in the dunes, remember to bring warm clothes. Even in town, you will need to wear a coat in the evening and closed shoes. As for rain, very rare showers fall from December to March without ever exceeding 18 mm per month. A drop of water in a world of sand.
A scorching summer deserted by its inhabitants
The months of July and August are hot and humid, with the mercury flirting with 41°C during the day, even 50°C in the heart of the desert furnace. It only goes down to 29°C at night, always hot and very humid, the air does not cool down. The temperature of the sea rises during the day to 37°C (against 21°C in winter) and loses all its refreshing virtue, and even dries out the bathers immediately, because the salt adds to the heat wave. The country lives then in slow motion, cloistered in houses and malls with polar air conditioning. This is the season chosen by expatriates to go back for a vacation in more moderate temperatures, but also by Qataris, who like to travel outside the country. Most schools close between 10 and 12 weeks during the vacations, which is understandable given the weather conditions. Whatever the season, take a small jacket to withstand the sometimes very cold air-conditioning in malls, museums and even hotels and restaurants, to avoid catching a cold.
Spring and autumn, ideal periods
The off-seasons, October-November and March-April, are the most pleasant periods, much less sweltering than summer and very mild in the evening (around 26°C on average). This data varies somewhat in the desert areas where the day-night differential is always more marked. This is the best season to walk around Doha in the evening, when families go for dhow rides and picnics in the public parks. In early autumn, the temperature does not really drop and the humidity is still very high - around 60-70% - while the thermometer gradually drops by 10°C per month. Rains are almost absent from this season, but recently, wind and hail storms have surprised meteorologists. The most pleasant is probably spring, as the last precipitation of the cooler season - between 2.5 and 13 mm - falls between March and May. Hardly anything, but enough to refresh the air, which is not yet saturated with humidity, while the sun shines for a long time, between 11.5 and 13.5 hours a day
Impressive sandstorms
Doha's skyline, illuminated with colors at night, is less pretty during the day, as the ambient dust and heat persistently blur the horizon. If sandy winds blow all year round for several days, accentuating the phenomenon, one can also be surprised by a massive sandstorm announced by the weather radars. Not a little sirocco wind that sprinkles your car with sand: the real sand and dust storm, which puts doctors, marine meteorologists and rescue services on alert. Even the airport can come to a standstill. It is not recommended to go outside because visibility is greatly reduced, breathing capacities are impaired and for some people sand can even trigger respiratory infections. It is also important to avoid rubbing your eyes, which are prone to infection, and to keep your windows closed while driving, etc.
