Qatar is a small country that forms a peninsula on the southern shore of the Persian Gulf, bordering Saudi Arabia. Most of the territory is covered with sand. Qatar’s climate is desert-type, marked by high temperatures throughout the year. Precipitation is minimal and does not exceed 75 mm per year. The seashore brings wind, but it does not manage to cool the climate.
A scorching desert climate
The heat is reasonable in winter, from December to February, with an average of 18 °C, while in July the average temperature is 36.5 °C. During the winter period, it is 13 to 15 °C at night and 22 to 25 °C during the day. As for the scorching summer, which runs from May to early November, it averages 25-29°C at night, and 35-41°C during the day, with frequent peaks in 45 °C in early June. September
What time for the World Cup?
Credit: The Weather Channel
In a context of extremely hot weather, considering Qatar one of the hottest countries in the world, it was necessary to change the period of the World Cup. The selected dates, November 20 to December 18, benefit from a slow drop in temperatures as the season progresses, but it’s still hot. The World Cup will take place in eight stadiums in Qatar, mainly located in the east of the country, not far from the coast. The weather will be the same for these eight locations.
For the opening and end of November, sunshine and blue skies will reign as far as the eye can see. The maximum temperatures will be between 30 and 35 °C, while at night they will be between 23 and 25 °C. In the first week of December, the dry weather persists, but temperatures drop very slowly, from 20 to 28 °C during the day. After December 10, it will be 15°C at night to 25°C during the day, which is more reasonable. The risk of showers after December 10 is not excluded. It can rain in the desert, in the form of fairly rare thunderstorms. In December, an average of 12 mm falls in Doha, which remains very low.
Note that this peninsula, being subject to a desert climate, can suffer violent sandstorms, which are called haboob, and when they go forward, they look like real vaporizers. These phenomena occur especially in the spring, which should normally spare athletes and spectators.