Unlike the solar calendar, the lunar calendar makes the dates move up around 10-12 days each year. As a result, Muslims get to experience their traditions in different seasons. This year, for instance, Ramadan will start in the wintertime. It’s been 24 years since this happened, but we’re not complaining.
Ramadan fasts may get longer, and the weather hotter as the month wears on. However, the beginning will hopefully be a bit cooler this year. Winter usually starts around December 21st in Saudi Arabia and culminates around March 20th.
The winters are usually mild in this part of the world, and spring is expected to start around March 21st. With this combination, Muslims in Saudi may expect to spend most of Ramadan in a reasonably pleasant climate.
How Long Will the Fasts Be?
Since Ramadan 2024 will start in the wintertime, the fasting periods will also be shorter. Here are the expected Iftar and Suhoor times for some significant Saudi cities:
Riyadh Sehar & Iftar Time
March / April 2024
 | Day | Sehar | Dhuhr | Asr | Iftar | Isha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11, Mon | 04:50 AM | 12:04 PM | 03:28 PM | 06:01 PM | 07:12 PM |
| 2 | 12, Tue | 04:49 AM | 12:03 PM | 03:28 PM | 06:01 PM | 07:13 PM |
| 3 | 13, Wed | 04:48 AM | 12:03 PM | 03:28 PM | 06:02 PM | 07:13 PM |
| 4 | 14, Thu | 04:47 AM | 12:03 PM | 03:28 PM | 06:02 PM | 07:14 PM |
| 5 | 15, Fri | 04:46 AM | 12:02 PM | 03:28 PM | 06:03 PM | 07:14 PM |
| 6 | 16, Sat | 04:45 AM | 12:02 PM | 03:28 PM | 06:03 PM | 07:15 PM |
| 7 | 17, Sun | 04:44 AM | 12:02 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:04 PM | 07:15 PM |
| 8 | 18, Mon | 04:43 AM | 12:02 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:04 PM | 07:16 PM |
| 9 | 19, Tue | 04:42 AM | 12:01 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:05 PM | 07:16 PM |
| 10 | 20, Wed | 04:41 AM | 12:01 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:05 PM | 07:17 PM |
| 11 | 21, Thu | 04:40 AM | 12:01 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:05 PM | 07:17 PM |
| 12 | 22, Fri | 04:39 AM | 12:00 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:06 PM | 07:18 PM |
| 13 | 23, Sat | 04:38 AM | 12:00 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:06 PM | 07:18 PM |
| 14 | 24, Sun | 04:37 AM | 12:00 PM | 03:27 PM | 06:07 PM | 07:19 PM |
| 15 | 25, Mon | 04:35 AM | 11:59 AM | 03:27 PM | 06:07 PM | 07:19 PM |
| 16 | 26, Tue | 04:34 AM | 11:59 AM | 03:27 PM | 06:07 PM | 07:20 PM |
| 17 | 27, Wed | 04:33 AM | 11:59 AM | 03:26 PM | 06:08 PM | 07:20 PM |
| 18 | 28, Thu | 04:32 AM | 11:59 AM | 03:26 PM | 06:08 PM | 07:20 PM |
| 19 | 29, Fri | 04:31 AM | 11:58 AM | 03:26 PM | 06:09 PM | 07:21 PM |
| 20 | 30, Sat | 04:30 AM | 11:58 AM | 03:26 PM | 06:09 PM | 07:21 PM |
| 21 | 31, Sun | 04:29 AM | 11:58 AM | 03:26 PM | 06:10 PM | 07:22 PM |
| 22 | 01, Mon | 04:28 AM | 11:57 AM | 03:26 PM | 06:10 PM | 07:23 PM |
| 23 | 02, Tue | 04:27 AM | 11:57 AM | 03:25 PM | 06:10 PM | 07:23 PM |
| 24 | 03, Wed | 04:25 AM | 11:57 AM | 03:25 PM | 06:11 PM | 07:24 PM |
| 25 | 04, Thu | 04:24 AM | 11:57 AM | 03:25 PM | 06:11 PM | 07:24 PM |
| 26 | 05, Fri | 04:23 AM | 11:56 AM | 03:25 PM | 06:12 PM | 07:25 PM |
| 27 | 06, Sat | 04:22 AM | 11:56 AM | 03:25 PM | 06:12 PM | 07:25 PM |
| 28 | 07, Sun | 04:21 AM | 11:56 AM | 03:24 PM | 06:13 PM | 07:26 PM |
| 29 | 08, Mon | 04:20 AM | 11:55 AM | 03:24 PM | 06:13 PM | 07:26 PM |
| 30 | 09, Tue | 04:19 AM | 11:55 AM | 03:24 PM | 06:13 PM | 07:27 PM |
Jeddah Sehar & Iftar Time
March / April 2024
| Day | Sehar | Dhuhr | Asr | Iftar | Isha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11, Mon | 05:19 AM | 12:34 PM | 03:57 PM | 06:32 PM | 08:32 PM |
| 2 | 12, Tue | 05:18 AM | 12:33 PM | 03:57 PM | 06:32 PM | 08:32 PM |
| 3 | 13, Wed | 05:17 AM | 12:33 PM | 03:57 PM | 06:32 PM | 08:32 PM |
| 4 | 14, Thu | 05:16 AM | 12:33 PM | 03:57 PM | 06:33 PM | 08:33 PM |
| 5 | 15, Fri | 05:15 AM | 12:32 PM | 03:57 PM | 06:33 PM | 08:33 PM |
| 6 | 16, Sat | 05:15 AM | 12:32 PM | 03:57 PM | 06:33 PM | 08:33 PM |
| 7 | 17, Sun | 05:14 AM | 12:32 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:34 PM | 08:34 PM |
| 8 | 18, Mon | 05:13 AM | 12:32 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:34 PM | 08:34 PM |
| 9 | 19, Tue | 05:12 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:34 PM | 08:34 PM |
| 10 | 20, Wed | 05:11 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:35 PM | 08:35 PM |
| 11 | 21, Thu | 05:10 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:35 PM | 08:35 PM |
| 12 | 22, Fri | 05:09 AM | 12:30 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:35 PM | 08:35 PM |
| 13 | 23, Sat | 05:08 AM | 12:30 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:36 PM | 08:36 PM |
| 14 | 24, Sun | 05:07 AM | 12:30 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:36 PM | 08:36 PM |
| 15 | 25, Mon | 05:06 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:36 PM | 08:36 PM |
| 16 | 26, Tue | 05:05 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:37 PM | 08:37 PM |
| 17 | 27, Wed | 05:04 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:37 PM | 08:37 PM |
| 18 | 28, Thu | 05:03 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:37 PM | 08:37 PM |
| 19 | 29, Fri | 05:02 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:38 PM | 08:38 PM |
| 20 | 30, Sat | 05:01 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:38 PM | 08:38 PM |
| 21 | 31, Sun | 05:00 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:38 PM | 08:38 PM |
| 22 | 01, Mon | 04:59 AM | 12:27 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:39 PM | 08:39 PM |
| 23 | 02, Tue | 04:58 AM | 12:27 PM | 03:52 PM | 06:39 PM | 08:39 PM |
| 24 | 03, Wed | 04:57 AM | 12:27 PM | 03:52 PM | 06:39 PM | 08:39 PM |
| 25 | 04, Thu | 04:56 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:52 PM | 06:40 PM | 08:40 PM |
| 26 | 05, Fri | 04:55 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:51 PM | 06:40 PM | 08:40 PM |
| 27 | 06, Sat | 04:54 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:51 PM | 06:40 PM | 08:40 PM |
| 28 | 07, Sun | 04:53 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:51 PM | 06:41 PM | 08:41 PM |
| 29 | 08, Mon | 04:52 AM | 12:25 PM | 03:50 PM | 06:41 PM | 08:41 PM |
| 30 | 09, Tue | 04:51 AM | 12:25 PM | 03:50 PM | 06:41 PM | 08:41 PM |
Madina Sehar & Iftar Time
March / April 2024
| Day | Sehar | Dhuhr | Asr | Iftar | Isha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11, Mon | 05:16 AM | 12:32 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:29 PM | 08:29 PM |
| 2 | 12, Tue | 05:15 AM | 12:32 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:30 PM | 08:30 PM |
| 3 | 13, Wed | 05:14 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:30 PM | 08:30 PM |
| 4 | 14, Thu | 05:13 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:31 PM | 08:31 PM |
| 5 | 15, Fri | 05:12 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:31 PM | 08:31 PM |
| 6 | 16, Sat | 05:11 AM | 12:31 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:32 PM | 08:32 PM |
| 7 | 17, Sun | 05:10 AM | 12:30 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:32 PM | 08:32 PM |
| 8 | 18, Mon | 05:09 AM | 12:30 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:33 PM | 08:33 PM |
| 9 | 19, Tue | 05:08 AM | 12:30 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:33 PM | 08:33 PM |
| 10 | 20, Wed | 05:07 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:33 PM | 08:33 PM |
| 11 | 21, Thu | 05:06 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:56 PM | 06:34 PM | 08:34 PM |
| 12 | 22, Fri | 05:05 AM | 12:29 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:34 PM | 08:34 PM |
| 13 | 23, Sat | 05:04 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:35 PM | 08:35 PM |
| 14 | 24, Sun | 05:03 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:35 PM | 08:35 PM |
| 15 | 25, Mon | 05:02 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:35 PM | 08:35 PM |
| 16 | 26, Tue | 05:01 AM | 12:28 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:36 PM | 08:36 PM |
| 17 | 27, Wed | 05:00 AM | 12:27 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:36 PM | 08:36 PM |
| 18 | 28, Thu | 04:58 AM | 12:27 PM | 03:55 PM | 06:37 PM | 08:37 PM |
| 19 | 29, Fri | 04:57 AM | 12:27 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:37 PM | 08:37 PM |
| 20 | 30, Sat | 04:56 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:38 PM | 08:38 PM |
| 21 | 31, Sun | 04:55 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:38 PM | 08:38 PM |
| 22 | 01, Mon | 04:54 AM | 12:26 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:38 PM | 08:38 PM |
| 23 | 02, Tue | 04:53 AM | 12:25 PM | 03:54 PM | 06:39 PM | 08:39 PM |
| 24 | 03, Wed | 04:52 AM | 12:25 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:39 PM | 08:39 PM |
| 25 | 04, Thu | 04:51 AM | 12:25 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:40 PM | 08:40 PM |
| 26 | 05, Fri | 04:50 AM | 12:25 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:40 PM | 08:40 PM |
| 27 | 06, Sat | 04:48 AM | 12:24 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:40 PM | 08:40 PM |
| 28 | 07, Sun | 04:47 AM | 12:24 PM | 03:53 PM | 06:41 PM | 08:41 PM |
| 29 | 08, Mon | 04:46 AM | 12:24 PM | 03:52 PM | 06:41 PM | 08:41 PM |
| 30 | 09, Tue | 04:45 AM | 12:24 PM | 03:52 PM | 06:42 PM | 08:42 PM |
As we can see, the Suhoor times range from around 4:45 am to 5:30 am. Iftar times can vary from 5:40 to 6:30 pm, making the fasting time around 12 to 13 hours. While this might seem like a long time compared to some countries, it’s shorter than the usual fasting period in the Middle East, which lasts for 14-15 hours on average.
Will the Fasts be Easier?
The desert climate in most of KSA usually translates to a challenging fasting period. With a winter/spring Ramadan, however, we may expect easier fasts this time around.