Riyadh sits deep in the Arabian interior and has an extremely dry desert climate, averaging only around 100 mm (about 4 inches) of rain a year, mostly falling in brief, scattered storms between November and April. Despite the low annual total, the city is genuinely prone to dramatic flash flooding when storms do arrive, since intense desert thunderstorms can drop a large amount of rain very quickly onto hard, sun-baked ground and paved surfaces with almost no absorption capacity. Wadis (dry riverbeds) that are empty most of the year can fill and overflow within an hour of a storm passing overhead. Because these storms are rare but capable of catching residents off guard, radar imagery is one of the more useful early-warning tools available, showing a developing cell over the desert well before it reaches the city. Saudi Arabia’s National Center of Meteorology operates the country’s weather radar network.
Learn more: How Does Rain Radar Work? · Open the full Rain Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it raining in Riyadh right now?
The live radar map above shows precipitation over Riyadh in real time. Blue shades indicate light rain, while yellow, orange, and red mark heavier downpours. If no colored echoes appear over Riyadh, no significant rain is currently being detected.
How often does the Riyadh rain radar update?
The radar refreshes continuously, typically every few minutes, so the map reflects current conditions rather than an hours-old forecast. Press play to animate the most recent frames.
Can I see if a storm is heading toward Riyadh?
Yes. Press play on the radar to animate the last few hours of rainfall and watch which way rain cells over Saudi Arabia are moving – the clearest way to judge whether a shower will reach Riyadh or pass by.
Is this Riyadh rain radar free to use?
Yes, completely free – no account, app download, or sign-up required. It works in any browser on desktop and mobile.