Yellow alert from the weather service: Light fog in Mecca, Asir, and Jazan

The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued an official alert, including a yellow alert, warning of light fog that could reduce horizontal visibility in scattered areas of three main regions: Makkah, Asir, and Jazan. This alert is part of the ongoing monitoring of weather conditions to ensure the safety of citizens, residents, and drivers on highways and open roads.

Weather details and timing

The center explained in its report that the expected weather conditions include light fog, which will reduce horizontal visibility to between 3 and 5 kilometers. The center specified that the conditions would begin at 2:00 AM on Thursday and continue until 7:00 AM the same day. This timing emphasizes the need for caution during the early morning hours, which typically see increased travel by passengers and employees.

The importance of early warning and the significance of the color yellow

The National Center for Meteorology employs a sophisticated color-coded early warning system, where yellow indicates the possibility of a weather phenomenon affecting a specific area, though it does not typically reach a critical level. This system aims to raise public awareness and enable relevant authorities to take necessary preventative measures. These alerts are a fundamental component of the Kingdom's strategy for managing crises and natural disasters and mitigating their risks.

The geographical and climatic context of the affected areas

The regions covered by the alert (Makkah, Asir, and Jazan) are characterized by geographical and climatic features that make them prone to fog formation, especially during seasonal transitions or winter. The Asir and Jazan regions have mountainous and coastal terrain that contributes to cloud condensation and their contact with the ground, resulting in dense or light fog. The Makkah region, on the other hand, is affected by humidity coming from the Red Sea, creating favorable conditions for the formation of mist and fog during the early morning hours.

Traffic safety guidelines during fog

Due to the direct impact of fog on visibility, traffic safety experts and relevant authorities advise drivers to follow safe driving guidelines to avoid accidents, the most important of which are:

• Reduce speed in accordance with road conditions and visibility levels.
• Use the vehicle's fog lights and avoid using high beams, which may scatter vision due to light reflecting off water droplets.
• Leave a sufficient safety distance between vehicles to avoid sudden collisions.
• Adhere to the designated lanes and do not overtake except in cases of extreme necessity and after ensuring that the road is clear.

The National Center of Meteorology emphasizes the importance of following its official channels to obtain the latest updates on the weather situation, as the data is updated periodically based on satellite monitoring and numerical weather models.