Deputy Minister of Environment inspects projects of the National Center for Meteorology in Jeddah
As part of the ongoing monitoring of strategic environmental projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Engineer Mansour Al-Mashiti, conducted a comprehensive inspection visit to the headquarters of the National Center for Meteorology in Jeddah. The visit aimed to closely examine the operational and technical progress and assess the efficiency of the center's technical infrastructure and its regional facilities, ensuring the achievement of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 objectives in the areas of environmental sustainability and meteorological safety.
Enhancing water security through cloud seeding technologies
Engineer Al-Mashiti began his field tour with a visit to the operations room of the cloud seeding program, a leading national initiative to increase rainfall. He received a detailed briefing on the latest technologies used in cloud seeding operations and the scientific methods employed to identify target areas. These operations are of paramount importance to the Kingdom, as they contribute to replenishing groundwater reserves and supporting vegetation cover, which directly benefits the Saudi Green Initiative aimed at combating desertification and drought.
Regional leadership in addressing climate change
In line with the Kingdom's leading role regionally and internationally, the tour included a visit to the Regional Center for Climate Change, where the Deputy Minister was briefed on its operational framework and digital climate archiving system. This center serves as a vital hub for collecting and analyzing climate data across the Middle East, contributing to a better understanding of evolving climate patterns and the development of appropriate adaptation strategies. He also visited the Regional Center for Dust and Sandstorms, which plays a pivotal role in monitoring transboundary dust storms and providing accurate data to support the transportation, health, and aviation sectors throughout the region.
Digital transformation and prediction accuracy
During his visit to the weather monitoring operations center, Al-Mashiti reviewed the operational capabilities of the Saudi Meteorology platform and its various numerical modeling systems. The visit underscored the importance of these technologies in enhancing the accuracy of weather forecasts and reducing error rates, which is vital for protecting lives and property, especially during periods of extreme weather. These advanced systems also expedite the transmission of warning information to security and service agencies, thereby improving the efficiency of crisis and emergency management.
Awareness and institutional integration
The Deputy Minister of Environment concluded his visit at the Media Production and Digital Communication Center, praising the center's awareness-raising role in serving the public and government sectors. At the end of the tour, he emphasized the need to strengthen integration and coordination between the National Center of Meteorology and all relevant stakeholders to ensure the accurate and rapid flow of information, thereby supporting effective decision-making and enhancing national preparedness for various weather and climate conditions.
