The Hajj pilgrimage, an annual Islamic ritual, will experience significant climate changes starting from the year 2026. Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesman for the Saudi National Meteorological Center (NMC), announced that next year’s Hajj will be the last to occur during the summer season for the next 17 years.
Climate Shifts and Hajj Seasons
According to Al-Qahtani, from 2026, the Hajj season will begin to align with the spring season for eight consecutive years. This will be followed by another eight years where the pilgrimage will take place during the winter season. Consequently, Hajj will bid farewell to the summer season for a period of 16 years. During this year’s Hajj, temperatures ranged between 45 and 47 degrees Celsius, leading to the death of 550 pilgrims due to a heatwave, with 323 Egyptians, 60 Jordanians, and 35 Tunisians among the casualties.
Expert Insights on the New Hajj Climate Cycle
Dr. Mansour Al Mazroui, a Shoura Council member and climate change researcher, corroborated these changes. He confirmed that while next year will still witness Hajj in the summer, the season will then transition to spring for eight years, followed by winter for another eight years. The winter Hajj season will commence in the Hijri year 1454 and end in 1461. Following this, the fall Hajj season will span from the Hijri years 1462 to 1469.
Completion of the Climatic Cycle
This shifting pattern means that over the course of 33 Hijri years, the Hajj season will rotate through all four seasons, eventually returning to summer in the year 1470, where it will remain for nine years. This new climatic cycle is expected to significantly impact the experience of pilgrims and the logistics of the pilgrimage.
As the Hajj adapts to these climatic changes, the Saudi authorities and the global Muslim community will need to prepare for the varying conditions, ensuring the safety and comfort of millions of pilgrims undertaking this sacred journey.
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