In 2022, the University of Chicago published a study analyzing crime data over 20 years, finding that days with high summer temperatures see a 12% increase in shootings and armed assaults, and a 40% reduction in sleep quality. This leads to a loss of cognitive ability in the morning, driving people to make violent decisions in handling trivial disputes.

Since the first economic boom in 1975, Saudis have ingrained a culture of 'summering' (al-tasyeef), where they collectively leave hot cities like Riyadh and Dammam, especially during summer vacation, heading to inland cities like Taif and Abha, or traveling abroad. During this period, major cities turn into ghost towns at noon, only coming alive between 8 PM and the early morning hours. To the extent that stadiums, parks, and shopping malls have developed entertainment activities exclusively for these times—a smart move, though unintentional. In 2024, researchers at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), part of the US government, after sifting through 16,643 international studies, found that short-term exposure to a temperature rise of up to 10°C increases the risk of violent crimes and assaults by 9%.

Perhaps a study by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in 2024 summarizes the above, revealing that cyberattacks and digital fraud attempts drop by 11% during heatwaves. The reason is that hackers and scammers suffer from heat lethargy and headaches, affecting their concentration and preventing them from sitting long hours in front of screens.

I noticed that Riyadh ranked fourth, at 47°C, on the list of hottest Saudi cities. Topping the list were Al-Nairyah and Al-Qaisumah in the Eastern Province at 53°C in the shade, followed by Jeddah at 52°C, which frankly I did not expect. As for international rankings, Death Valley in California, USA, holds the highest officially recorded temperature on the planet, reaching 56.7°C, a record unbroken to this day. The hottest place in Africa is recorded in the city of Ouargla, Algeria, at 51.3°C. In a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2025, analyzing 150,000 police reports, it was scientifically confirmed that extreme heatwaves lasting five consecutive days or more sharply increase rates of violent reports and domestic assaults. This is because heat prevents the body from secreting serotonin, the hormone responsible for happiness and calm, and increases adrenaline flow, turning any trivial argument into a bloody physical fight.

Summer is seen in some countries as a threat to national security and infrastructure. For example, in India and Bangladesh, its effects go beyond high heat, extending into a nightmare combination of extreme heat and tropical humidity. When temperatures in these countries reach 35°C, the human body becomes completely unable to produce sweat or cool itself, turning streets into collective heat execution chambers. A 2019 study by the University of California, Berkeley found that bloody altercations in minor traffic accidents jump by 28% in June and July. This is attributed to the high temperature inside the car cabin, which slowly evaporates cerebrospinal fluid, causing chemical stimulation that makes drivers lose control of their emotions.

The disasters of high heat do not stop. In 2019, the International Labour Organization published that heat stress due to climate change will lead to a loss of productivity equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs by 2030, resulting in direct global economic losses of $2.4 trillion. Agriculture and field construction will be among the most affected sectors. In 2022, the University of Chicago published a study analyzing crime data over 20 years, finding that days with summer temperatures above normal see a 12% increase in shootings and armed assaults, and a 40% reduction in sleep quality. The latter leads to loss of cognitive ability in the morning, driving people to make violent and rash decisions in dealing with trivial disputes.

What I noticed most importantly is a study conducted on the Mecca and Riyadh regions, published in the German journal Environmental Science and Pollution Research in 2022, found that temperatures and humidity rise stiflingly in these areas, increasing the likelihood of altercations and assaults. This necessitates a heightened security presence and police readiness. Additionally, thefts and property crimes rise in the Riyadh region in summer as criminals exploit the environmental cover provided by haze and dust. In Riyadh, each summer month sees 17 days of this type, compared to four days in Mecca. The most appropriate approach, in my opinion, is to link weather forecasting and criminal prediction systems at the National Center for Meteorology and the Ministry of Interior, and to develop an early warning system that predicts peaks in behavioral crimes based on daily weather maps. Moreover, develop thermal surveillance cameras and advanced vision technologies resistant to dust and sandstorms in streets and public facilities to ensure that security monitoring operations are not affected by weather fluctuations.