The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued a series of advanced alerts and warnings, with red and orange dominating the early warning map, indicating unstable weather conditions affecting large areas of the Kingdom. The center raised the alert level to "red alert" in the Riyadh region, forecasting heavy rainfall until 3:00 PM, while a similar alert was issued for the Qassim region, with its effects expected to last until 11:00 PM.
In its daily weather report for Wednesday, the center explained that conditions are favorable for continued thunderstorms ranging from moderate to heavy, which may lead to flash floods in valleys and ravines. These storms will be accompanied by hail and strong winds that will stir up dust and reduce horizontal visibility in parts of the Riyadh, Eastern, and Northern Borders regions. The center also issued two orange alerts for the Hail and Northern Borders regions, where moderate rainfall is expected to continue until 10:00 PM.
Meanwhile, the northern regions of the Kingdom are experiencing distinctly wintry weather, with light snowfall and frost expected in parts of the Tabuk and Hail highlands, as well as the northeastern parts of the Madinah highlands. This weather pattern is accompanied by a chance of dense fog in parts of these areas, as well as Al-Jawf and Al-Qassim, necessitating caution while driving on highways.
This report comes as part of the National Center for Meteorology's monitoring of seasonal weather fluctuations in the Kingdom during winter. The automated warning system is a vital tool for alerting residents and relevant authorities. The "red alert" in the Center's protocols indicates severe or violent weather phenomena that necessitate the utmost caution and adherence to instructions from Civil Defense and other relevant authorities to ensure public safety.
This rainy weather pattern is particularly significant given its impact on vital and densely populated areas such as the capital, Riyadh, and Al-Qassim. Such warnings are typically accompanied by repeated calls from the General Directorate of Civil Defense urging citizens and residents to stay away from floodplains and valleys, avoid crossing wadis while they are flowing, and stay away from low-lying areas and water accumulations, all in order to protect lives and property during these severe weather conditions.
