Hajj season shifts away from summer heat for next 25 years

Muscat: The upcoming Hajj season of 1446 AH will mark the final occurrence of the pilgrimage during the summer months, according to Hussein al Qahtani, spokesperson for the KSA's National Center for Meteorology (NCM).

Al Qahtani said that, beginning next year, Hajj seasons will gradually move into milder periods, with the next eight years falling in spring, followed by another eight in winter. The pilgrimage will then transition into autumn, where temperatures will begin to rise again, before returning to the summer season after nearly 25 years.

He attributed this shift to the lunar calendar cycle, which causes Islamic dates to move earlier each year.

The change is expected to offer pilgrims more moderate weather conditions in the coming years, easing the challenges typically associated with performing rituals during peak summer heat.