Friday's weather in Saudi Arabia: Thunderstorms and dense fog in 8 regions

The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia has released details of the expected weather conditions for Friday, issuing important alerts regarding weather fluctuations affecting several regions of the Kingdom. This report is part of the ongoing monitoring of weather conditions to ensure the safety of citizens and residents and to advise them to take precautions while traveling.

Expected weather phenomena in different regions

The weather report indicated that the chance of thunderstorms and rain remains, accompanied by active winds that may stir up dust and sand, potentially reducing horizontal visibility. This weather pattern affects large parts of eight major regions: Asir, Al-Baha, Makkah, Madinah, Hail, Al-Jawf, and the Northern Borders, in addition to parts of the Tabuk region. Rainfall intensity will vary from moderate to heavy in some of these areas, necessitating caution due to the risk of flash flooding in valleys and wadis.

On the eastern side of the Kingdom, the center warned of the formation of dense fog during the early morning hours, especially in parts of the Eastern Province, which directly affects traffic on highways and open roads.

The state of the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf

Regarding the marine conditions, the report detailed the movement of waves and winds:

• Red Sea: Surface winds are blowing from the east to southeast, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h towards the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Wave heights range from half a meter to two meters, and may exceed two meters in the southern part, making sea conditions rough in those areas.
• Arabian Gulf: Winds will be northerly to northwesterly in the northern and central parts, while they will turn easterly in the southern part with the formation of rain-bearing thunderclouds, raising the waves to reach two meters at times.

Climate context and the importance of warnings

These reports are of paramount importance given the great geographical diversity of Saudi Arabia, where different weather phenomena can occur simultaneously, such as fog in the east and rain in the south and north. These fluctuations are part of the Kingdom's climatic characteristics during the winter and spring transition seasons, when low-pressure systems from the Mediterranean or humid thermal expansions from the south become active.

The relevant authorities, including the Civil Defense, emphasize the need to adhere to safety instructions during these weather conditions, especially for those using highways and going to the sea, and to avoid low-lying areas and flood channels in areas experiencing rainfall, in order to ensure the safety of lives and property.