Red alert from the Meteorology Department: Dust storms hit Al-Jawf and the northern borders
The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued a red alert on Monday, warning of unstable weather conditions directly affecting the Al-Jawf and Northern Borders regions. This warning comes as part of ongoing weather monitoring, with forecasts indicating strong surface winds that will stir up dust and sand, urging citizens and residents in these areas to exercise caution.
Weather details and affected areas
The center explained in its report that the weather conditions include the governorates of Al-Qurayyat and Tabarjal in the Al-Jawf region, in addition to the governorate of Tarif in the Northern Borders region. These weather conditions are characterized by significant phenomena, including strong dust storms that lead to near-zero horizontal visibility (less than one kilometer), posing a danger to those traveling on highways and in open areas.
Context of weather fluctuations and fog
Concurrently with the dust storms in the north, the National Center for Meteorology also warned of varying intensities of fog across large parts of the Kingdom, including nine other regions during the early morning hours. This fog reduced horizontal visibility to between 3 and 5 kilometers in some areas, and to near zero (1 to 3 kilometers) in others, reflecting the unstable weather conditions currently affecting the Kingdom.
Geographical importance and weather effects
These warnings are particularly important given the geographical nature of the northern regions of the Kingdom, which are characterized by open desert terrain that makes them more susceptible to the effects of strong winds and sandstorms, especially during the transitional periods between seasons. These storms typically affect land transportation between cities and may also impact air traffic at local and regional airports if the dust becomes dense.
Safety and prevention guidelines
Under these weather conditions, relevant authorities and weather experts recommend following public safety guidelines, which include:
- Avoid speeding on highways and use headlights and warning lights when driving in zero visibility.
- Patients with respiratory conditions and asthma are advised to avoid direct exposure to dust and to stay indoors as much as possible.
- Follow the official weather bulletins issued by the National Center for Meteorology and Civil Defense to keep the information up to date.
The National Center for Meteorology’s automated early warning system is a vital tool to raise the level of preparedness of government and service agencies to deal with any emergency that may result from these weather fluctuations, in order to protect lives and property.
