Fog and reduced visibility warning issued for 4 Saudi regions on Friday morning
Warning of light fog and reduced visibility on Friday morning
The National Center for Meteorology issued an early warning on Friday regarding expected light fog in scattered areas of four major regions, which will lead to a noticeable decrease in horizontal visibility during the early morning hours. The center urged citizens and residents, especially drivers, to take precautions to ensure their safety.
The center explained in its report that this weather phenomenon began in the early hours of this morning and is expected to continue until 8:00 AM in some locations, while it may extend to 9:00 AM in others. The report indicated that the main effect of the fog is a decrease in horizontal visibility to between 3 and 5 kilometers only.
Areas affected by fog
The alert included a number of coastal and vital cities and governorates in four regions, which are as follows:
- Eastern Province: Jubail, Khobar, Dammam, Dhahran, Qatif, Ras Tanura, and many others.
- Makkah Region: Al Qunfudhah, Al Lith, Jeddah, and Rabigh.
- Madinah region: Al-Rais and Yanbu.
- Jazan region: Farasan and Jazan.
The importance of warnings and the impact of fog on public safety
Weather warnings are of paramount importance due to the direct impact of fog on various aspects of daily life, most notably road safety. A sudden decrease in visibility on highways and main roads connecting these coastal and industrial cities increases the risk of accidents. Therefore, relevant authorities, such as the General Directorate of Traffic and Civil Defense, emphasize the need to drive cautiously, reduce speed, use fog lights, and maintain a safe distance between vehicles.
Dense fog can also affect air and sea traffic. At nearby international airports such as King Fahd International Airport in Dammam and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, the departure and arrival schedules of some morning flights may be affected. Similarly, at major ports such as Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, cargo operations and maritime maneuvers require clear visibility to ensure the safety of ships and crews.
The climatic context for fog formation in Saudi Arabia
Fog formation is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the air near the Earth's surface cools to its dew point, causing water vapor in the atmosphere to condense into tiny water droplets that remain suspended. Coastal areas in the Kingdom, such as those mentioned in the warning, are ideal environments for fog formation, especially during the early morning hours after a night of low temperatures and high humidity from nearby bodies of water like the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. This phenomenon is particularly common during the transitional seasons between winter and spring, or autumn and winter, when the temperature differences between day and night are significant.
