Saudi Arabia weather: Warning of dense fog in 5 regions until morning

The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued weather conditions , warning of varying intensities of fog affecting large parts of five major regions in the Kingdom during the early morning hours of Wednesday. These warnings are part of the ongoing monitoring of weather conditions to ensure the safety of citizens and residents.

Weather details and timing

The center explained that the weather phenomenon began at 1:00 AM and its effects are expected to continue until 8:00 AM. The effects of this weather system range from reduced horizontal visibility of 3-5 kilometers in some areas, to denser fog in other locations leading to near-zero visibility of 1-3 kilometers. This necessitates caution while traveling.

Areas affected by the situation

The alerts issued by the automated early warning system included the following regions and governorates:

• Eastern Region: The alerts included the areas of Al-Adid and Dha’baloutan.
• Makkah Region: The governorates of Al-Ardiyat, Al-Qunfudhah, Al-Lith, Al-Muzaylif, Adham, Bani Yazid, Jadhm, and Yalamlam were affected.
• Jazan region: It included Farasan, Jazan city, Al Darb, Bish, Abu Arish, Ahad Al Masarihah, Al Tuwal, Al Fatihah, Samtah, Sabya, and Damad.
• Asir region: Fog covered the areas of Al-Barak, Al-Qahmah, Al-Majardah, Bariq, Rijal Alma’ and Mahayil.
• Al-Baha region (Al-Hujrah sector): included Al-Hujrah, Al-Makhwah, Far’ah Ghamid Al-Zanad, and Qalwah.

Geographical and climatic context

Fog in these regions at this time of year is a natural phenomenon resulting from specific geographical and climatic factors. In coastal areas such as Jazan, parts of Mecca, and the Eastern Province, high relative humidity from the sea (the Arabian Gulf or the Red Sea), combined with lower nighttime temperatures, contributes to the condensation of water vapor and the formation of fog. In mountainous and highland regions such as Asir and Al-Baha, the topography and the obstruction of low-lying clouds by the mountains play a major role in reducing visibility.

Traffic safety guidelines

Due to the severe reduction in visibility caused by fog, relevant authorities always emphasize the importance of following safety guidelines, which include:

• Reduce speed in accordance with road conditions and visibility.
• Use fog lights or low beam lights instead of high beam lights, which may scatter vision due to light reflection.
• Leave a sufficient safety distance between vehicles to avoid sudden accidents.
• Avoid using hazard lights (flashers) except when completely stopped, to avoid confusing other drivers.

The National Center of Meteorology urges everyone to follow its reports through its official channels to get the latest updates on the weather.