Thunderstorms and flash floods to hit Saudi Arabia until Thursday: Civil Defense warns

The General Directorate of Civil Defense issued urgent warnings to citizens and residents, urging them to exercise extreme caution due to the unstable weather conditions affecting most regions of the Kingdom. The Directorate emphasized the importance of remaining in safe locations and staying away from areas prone to flash floods, valleys, and dams, and warned against attempting to cross or swim in them, as these pose a real danger to life.

The relevant authorities stressed the need to adhere to the instructions and guidelines announced through official media and social media sites, coinciding with expectations of thunderstorms across large areas of the Kingdom, starting from tomorrow, Sunday, and continuing until next Thursday.

Weather details in Mecca

Weather reports indicate that the Makkah will be among the most affected areas, with moderate to heavy rainfall expected, potentially leading to flash floods, accompanied by hail and strong downdrafts that will stir up dust and sand. The weather conditions include:

• Al-Lith, Al-Qunfudhah, Taif, Maysan, Adham, and Al-Ardiyat (moderate to heavy rain).
• Jeddah, Bahra, Khulais, Rabigh, the Holy Capital, Al Kamil, Al Jumum, Turba, Al Muwaih and Al Khurma (light to moderate rain).

Weather forecast for Riyadh and central regions

Forecasts also indicated that the Riyadh by moderate to heavy rainfall, which could cause flash floods, hail, and dust storms. The weather system will include:

• Riyadh, the capital, Rumah, Al Majmaah, Al Zulfi, Al Ghat, Shaqra, Thadiq, Huraymila, Marat, Dhurma, Afif, Al Dawadmi, Al Quway'iyah, Al Rayn, and Al Hariq.
• Al-Muzahmiya, Al-Dilam, Hawtat Bani Tamim, and Al-Kharj.
• Meanwhile, Al-Aflaj, Wadi Al-Dawasir, and Al-Sulayyil will experience light to moderate rain.

Rainfall conditions in the Eastern Province and other regions

In a related context, the Directorate warned that the Eastern , Hail, Qassim, Al-Jawf, the Northern Borders, Tabuk, Madinah, Al-Baha, Asir, and Jazan regions will also be affected by moderate to heavy rains, leading to flash floods and hail, while the Najran region will witness light to moderate rains.

The importance of adhering to warnings and understanding the context of the weather conditions

These warnings come as part of the ongoing coordination between the Civil Defense and the National Center for Meteorology, as the Kingdom experiences weather fluctuations at this time of year due to the overlap of seasons or the deepening of low-pressure systems, leading to cases of atmospheric instability.

The danger of these rainy conditions lies in the geographical nature of some regions of the Kingdom, where flash floods that may rush into valleys and ravines very quickly and from far distances, making it extremely dangerous to be in the paths of flash floods even if rain is not falling in the same location.

During these conditions, it is always advisable to avoid low-lying areas, follow weather updates moment by moment, secure property, and drive with extreme caution due to reduced horizontal visibility caused by dust or heavy rain, in order to ensure everyone's safety.