Today's weather: Winds, dust, and fog hit 7 regions in Saudi Arabia
The National Center for Meteorology issued its daily report on weather conditions on Tuesday in various regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, indicating the continuation of weather fluctuations characterized by active surface winds and fog formation in several regions, which calls for caution and vigilance by citizens, residents and highway users.
Weather conditions and active winds details
The report indicated that forecasts point to the impact of active winds stirring up dust and sand, leading to reduced horizontal visibility across large parts of the Kingdom. This includes the Northern Borders, Al-Jawf, Tabuk, Hail, Al-Qassim, Madinah, and Riyadh regions. These effects also extend to the eastern parts of the western and southwestern highlands, where the geographical nature of these areas contributes to higher concentrations of suspended dust in the air.
Fog formation and its effect on visibility
In a related context, the center warned of continued chances of dense fog forming during the night and early morning hours, which could lead to zero or near-zero horizontal visibility. This condition is concentrated in parts of the Makkah, Al-Baha, Asir, and Jazan regions, in addition to the coastal areas of the Eastern Province. Fog at this time of year is a characteristic feature of the climate in coastal and mountainous regions due to high relative humidity and the cooling of the ground surface.
Climate context and the importance of warnings
These weather fluctuations are part of Saudi Arabia's typical climate, where the country experiences increased surface wind activity during such transitional periods due to variations in atmospheric pressure. These reports are of paramount importance locally, as the transportation sector relies on them to manage traffic flow on highways connecting different regions, especially those open roads directly affected by dust storms. They also play a vital role in providing health advice to respiratory and asthma sufferers to help them avoid direct exposure to dust.
State of the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf
Regarding the maritime conditions, the report indicated that surface winds over the Red Sea would be southeasterly to southwesterly at speeds ranging from 10 to 25 km/h, with wave heights between half a meter and one meter, resulting in a slight sea state. In the Arabian Gulf, winds would be southeasterly to southerly in the northern and central parts at speeds of 15-30 km/h, and northwesterly to westerly in the southern part, with a slight to moderate sea state, making the maritime conditions relatively stable compared to the land areas.
