Red alert: Heavy rains and floods hit the Eastern Province and Riyadh today

The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued advanced weather alerts on Thursday, raising the alert level to “red” in the Eastern Province, warning of severe weather fluctuations that may affect daily life, while the Riyadh region received orange alerts due to expectations of moderate rainfall.

Red alert details for the Eastern Province

The National Center for Meteorology explained that the rainfall situation in the Eastern Province is severe, with heavy rain in the governorates of Khafji, Nairyah, and Qaryat Al-Ulya. The report indicated that this weather system will be accompanied by several weather phenomena, including:

• High-speed winds may stir up dust and sand.
• There is an almost complete lack of horizontal visibility, which calls for extreme caution when driving on highways.
• Hailstones fell.
• Flash floods in valleys and ravines, in addition to thunderstorms.

The center indicated that this weather condition will continue - God willing - until 11 pm on Thursday, which necessitates taking precautions by citizens and residents.

Moderate rain and an orange alert in Riyadh

In a related development, the center issued an orange alert for the Riyadh region, forecasting moderate rainfall affecting the governorates of Thadiq, Huraymila, Rumah, Dhurma, and Marat. The alert includes accompanying effects such as strong winds, reduced horizontal visibility, hail, and the possibility of flash floods and thunderstorms. The alert is expected to remain in effect until 10:00 PM.

The importance of early warning systems and preventive measures

These alerts are part of the National Center of Meteorology's ongoing efforts to enhance public safety through its automated early warning system. The "red alert" is the highest level of warning, indicating severe weather conditions that require immediate precautionary measures and urging people to stay away from hazardous areas.

These warnings are usually accompanied by calls from the General Directorate of Civil Defense to stay away from water pools, valleys and dams, and not to risk crossing floods no matter how low the water level is, in order to protect lives and property.

climatic context and the impact of weather conditions

At this time of year, Saudi Arabia experiences seasonal weather fluctuations resulting from the interaction of air masses, leading to atmospheric instability. These rains play a vital role in replenishing groundwater and revitalizing vegetation in desert regions; however, they require infrastructure capable of handling large volumes of water in a short period.

Weather and traffic safety experts advise drivers to reduce speed, maintain a safe distance, use headlights in cases of poor visibility, and adhere to the instructions of security and traffic authorities to ensure everyone's safety during the rainy weather.