Overview:
Yemen’s weather from the third dekad of November through the first dekad of December 2025 is expected to remain cool and dry, marking the seasonal shift into winter. These conditions will guide the transition from postharvest activities to land preparation in the highlands and will continue to influence vegetable harvesting across the Eastern Plateau.
Key Forecasts for Early-December 2025
• Precipitation: Rainfall will remain seasonally low nationwide. Coastal areas along the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea, and Socotra are expected to receive below-average precipitation. Only isolated light showers are possible on windward slopes of the Western Highlands; the Red Sea coast will be mostly dry with occasional fog or mist. Eastern Desert areas will remain dry.
• Temperature: Temperatures will vary markedly by region. The Central and Northern Highlands (from Sa’ada to Al Dhale’e) will turn noticeably colder from day two of the month, with nighttime lows expected below 0°C and a high risk of frost at high elevations (e.g., Jabal Al Nabi Shoaib, Rosabah, parts of Amran; (see Fig. 1). The Coastal Plains (Tihama) will stay warm—daytime 29–32°C, nights 19–22°C—while the Eastern Plateau is likely to see temperatures above the seasonal average.
Implications on Agricultural Livelihoods
These combined meteorological conditions are expected to:
• Western Highlands: With the completion of sorghum and harvests, lingering frost risk is likely to affect postharvest activities, and qat production may face water stress due to heavy irrigation reliance.
• Coastal Plains (Tihama): Date palms are in the post-harvest phase, and cotton harvesting has finished. Irrigated vegetables (tomatoes, onions, melons) and sesame are at various growth stages and will experience dry conditions.
• Eastern Plateau and Desert Areas: Farming is mostly wadi-based, reliant on flows and groundwater. Date palm harvesting is complete; limited forage cultivation continues but faces constraints from water scarcity and high temperatures.
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Scope
Regional
Intervention Sectors
Agriculture
Date
Countries
Yemen