Jordan Weather and Climate
Jordan is a relatively small country with a total land area of 96000 sq km. Although mostly desert, within its compact area there are three distinct climatic zones: the Jordan valley, Mountain Heights Plateau and the Desert or Badia region which constitutes 75% of the total land area of Jordan.
Jordan’s weather truly consists of all four seasons. Most of Jordan’s tourist attractions lie in the mountain heights Plateau, a strip which runs along the western edge of the country, and the Jordan Valley, which lies next to the Dead Sea; the lowest point on the surface of the earth.
310 Days of Sunshine
Jordan is a very sunny country, with over 310 days of sunshine a year. The weather is almost exclusively dry and sunny from May to October, where there is barely any rainfall. Summers are hot but relatively pleasant due to the low humidity in the mountain heights, with daytime temperatures frequently exceeding 36°C and averaging about 32°C. Nights are almost always cool and pleasant. In the Jordan Valley, summers can be very hot with temperatures reaching into the low forties on occasions, while Aqaba’s weather in the south is similar to the Jordan Valley’s but with less rainfall.
The desert of Wadi Rum on the other hand lies on a plateau that is around 900 metres above sea level (the highest peak in Jordan, Um Al Dami, lies within Wadi Rum). With no vegetation to dampen its climate, it can be very hot in the summer and very cold in winter. Some winter nights there can be brutally cold.
One thing you will notice in Jordan is that there is very little humidity, which hovers around 30-40% on average. This helps keep the summer heat bearable.
It can get cold in Jordan!
Most of Jordan’s desert receives less than 120 mm of rain a year, while the average rainfall in the mountain heights ranges between 300 and 600 mm a year. The rainy season begins at the end of November and continues till the end of March. Nonetheless, rainfall is sporadic even then. The chance of rain drops substantially from April onwards. The coldest months of the year are December and January, where temperatures average about 13 degrees Celsius but can drop to around 5 degrees. In areas with an altitude of 1000 meters and above, there is a chance of snowfall in winter, and some lucky few have even had the chance to see Petra (1200 meters above sea level) in the snow.
In brief: Hot and dry summers with cool evenings.
The Jordan Valley below sea level is warm during winter and very hot in summer. Aqaba has a drier climate than the Dead Sea (with temperatures on average 10 degrees Celsius above those of Amman). Rain falls between November and April (mostly in the central and northern mountain ranges), while colder weather conditions occur in December / January.
Local daytime temperatures in Amman range as follows for the year (°C). The Dead Sea and Aqaba are around 8-10 degrees higher on average:
- January (4-13°C)
- February (4-13°C)
- March (6-17°C)
- April (10-23°C)
- May (15-28°C)
- June (17-31°C)
- July (20-32°C)
- August (19-32°C)
- September (18-30°C)
- October (14-26°C)
- November (9-20°C)
- December ( 5-14°C)
Discover the highlights of Jordan’s capital
On this private 5 days tour, you will explore the antiquities at Amman Citadel and Archaeological Museum & visit the 2nd-century Roman Theater. Also
Pick up from Allenby Bridge and head south to the ancient ruins of the Rose City in Petra with an overnight and float in the healing waters of the lowest
See some of the world’s most impressive sights on this private, 7 days tour of Jordan, Ride a 4×4 through the Wadi Rum desert valley with overnight at bedouin camp,