By Abdullahi Yusuf

Saudi Arabia’s National Meteorological Centre (NMC) has announced that the 2025 Hajj pilgrimage will be the last to take place during the intense summer heat for the next 16 years, as the Islamic calendar gradually shifts the annual event into cooler months.

Beginning in 2026, the pilgrimage will move into spring and then winter due to the Islamic lunar calendar’s annual drift of approximately 10 days. Hajj is expected to fall in the spring from 2026 to 2033, and in winter from 2034 to 2041, before returning to the summer in 2042.

The shift offers relief to millions of pilgrims who have faced soaring temperatures in recent years. During the 2024 pilgrimage, temperatures in Mecca reached between 46 and 51 degrees Celsius, leading to more than 2,700 heatstroke cases in a single day and several heat-related deaths, according to official figures.

In response to increasing climate challenges, Saudi authorities have expanded efforts to protect pilgrims. Measures include shaded walkways, additional water distribution points, mobile cooling units, and public campaigns on heat safety.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia also introduced 33 new weather monitoring stations in 2024 and increased the use of mobile radars to track real-time conditions across Hajj routes.

With more than 1.8 million pilgrims expected for Hajj 2025, officials say preparations are underway to manage what is expected to be the final summer-season pilgrimage before a long-awaited shift to milder weather.