Saudi Arabia weather: Dust and wind warning issued for Riyadh and the Eastern Province
The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued weather warning of expected weather fluctuations directly affecting large parts of the Riyadh and Eastern regions. This warning coincides with the mid-year school break, urging caution among travelers and highway users.
Weather details and affected areas
The center's report explained that the weather conditions are characterized by active surface winds stirring up dust and sand, leading to near-zero or very low horizontal visibility, ranging between 3 and 5 kilometers. The center indicated that these conditions will continue until Tuesday evening.
The alerts covered a wide range of provinces and cities, including in the Riyadh region: (Dawadmi, Al-Rayn, Al-Quway'iyah, Afif, Ad-Diriyah, Riyadh city, Az-Zulfi, Al-Ghat, Al-Majma'ah, Shaqra, Thadiq, Huraymila, Rumah, and Dhurma). In the Eastern Province, the alerts included: (Al-Khafji, An-Nu'ayriyah, Qaryat Al-Ulya, and Hafr Al-Batin).
The weather coincided with the mid-year break
These warnings are particularly important given their timing with the mid-year school break , a period many citizens and residents use for leisure activities or travel within the Kingdom. Students began their break on Friday, the 20th of Rajab, and it is scheduled to continue until the 28th of the same month, meaning that peak travel times may be affected by this dust storm.
Climate context and weather effects
These weather fluctuations are part of the Kingdom's climatic characteristics during the transitional periods between seasons, as surface winds become active due to differences in atmospheric pressure. These conditions typically affect traffic, especially on highways and open roads connecting the central and eastern regions, which experience heavy traffic during holidays.
In such weather conditions, experts advise following traffic safety guidelines, avoiding high speeds, and maintaining a sufficient distance between vehicles. They also stress the need for respiratory and asthma patients to take necessary precautions to avoid health complications resulting from inhaling dust.
Weather forecast for the rest of the Kingdom
In a related context, the National Center for Meteorology’s forecasts were not limited to Riyadh and the Eastern Province only, but the forecasts indicated the continued impact of active winds stirring up dust on the eastern parts of the Asir, Al-Baha, and Makkah regions, extending to include parts of Madinah, Al-Qassim, Hail, Al-Jawf, and the Northern Borders.
There remains a chance of light rain in the western highlands, with the possibility of fog that may reduce horizontal visibility in the early morning hours in parts of the highlands of Al-Baha, Asir and Jazan, which requires caution while driving in mountainous areas.
