Saudi Arabia’s National Meteorological Centre has confirmed that the 2025 Hajj will mark the final summer pilgrimage until 2042, as the Islamic calendar’s lunar cycle gradually pushes the annual event into cooler seasons.
Starting 2026, the pilgrimage will move into spring and eventually winter, offering long-awaited relief to millions of worshippers who have endured scorching temperatures in recent years. This shift is due to the Islamic calendar drifting about 10 days earlier each year.
According to authorities, the pilgrimage will occur in the spring from 2026 to 2033, and in the winter from 2034 to 2041. Hajj will not return to summer until 2042.
The change follows years of record-breaking heat during Hajj. In 2024, temperatures in Mecca soared up to 51°C, resulting in over 2,700 cases of heatstroke in a single day and several reported deaths.
To address the risks, Saudi officials have introduced several safety measures including shaded routes, water distribution points, mobile cooling units, and awareness campaigns. The government also deployed 33 new weather stations last year to enhance real-time monitoring along pilgrimage routes.
With over 1.8 million pilgrims expected in 2025, preparations are being ramped up for what will be the last Hajj under extreme summer conditions for over a decade.
