Saline-alkali land represents both an important potential reserve of global arable land and a typical form of soil degradation. As natural drivers of soil salinization, meteorological factors regulate soil water-salt transport and surface salt accumulation. Climate change, including global warming and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, further complicates the formation of saline-alkali land and exacerbates the risks and management difficulties associated with soil salinization. By analyzing the spatial relationship between the distribution of saline-alkali land and climatic zones at global scale and national scale of China, this review reveals the dominant factors and mechanisms of soil salinization in different climatic regions. It further systematically elaborates on the mechanisms by which key meteorological factors, including temperature, precipitation, and wind, drive soil salt accumulation and redistribution, as well as the additional impacts of climate change and future risk trends. Finally, in the context of climate change, this review proposes locally adapted smart agrometeorological management and regulation strategies to achieve precise and efficient integrated amelioration of saline-alkali land and its sustainable agricultural utilization.