Jordan is small but its altitude range is extreme: Amman sits at 1000 m, Petra at 900, Wadi Rum at 1000, and the Dead Sea at 430 below sea level. That means two places two hours apart can differ by fifteen degrees on the same afternoon.
Spring, March to May
The best season. Temperatures in Amman and Petra are 18 to 25 degrees, the hills are green and briefly covered in wildflowers, and the desert is comfortable. April is the peak month for visitors and prices reflect it. Occasional khamsin winds bring dust and a sharp rise in temperature for a day or two.
Autumn, September to November
Equally good and slightly quieter. September is still hot in the south; October and November are close to ideal, with warm days, cool evenings and clear light. The Wadi Mujib Siq Trail is open until the end of October.
Summer, June to August
Hot but manageable in the highlands, where Amman rarely passes 33 degrees and the humidity is very low. It is brutal at the Dead Sea and in Aqaba, where 40 to 45 degrees is normal. Petra in July means starting at six and stopping by eleven. Prices drop and the sites are emptier, which is a genuine trade-off if you can handle heat.
Winter, December to February
Cold, wet and underrated. Amman averages 12 degrees by day and drops near freezing at night; snow closes roads in the highlands every few years and Petra under snow happens roughly every other winter. Aqaba, however, sits at 21 degrees in January and is the reason winter works: the south is warm while the north is not. Some Dead Sea and Wadi Rum camps are cold at night in any month, and January nights in the desert fall below zero.
Ramadan
The month shifts about eleven days earlier each year. Sites stay open, but restaurants outside hotels close during daylight, working hours shorten and traffic before sunset is chaotic. The atmosphere after iftar is worth experiencing. Eid al-Fitr afterwards is a national holiday and everything is busy.
Practical seasonal notes
The Mujib canyon trails open in April and close in October or after the first rains. Flash floods in the wadis are a real hazard from November to March and have killed people, including a school group in 2018; check conditions before entering any canyon. Friday is the weekend day when Jordanian families visit sites, so Saturday can be quieter.