The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued an official weather alert for early Tuesday morning, indicating the formation of light fog affecting horizontal visibility in scattered areas of three main regions: Mecca, Asir, and Jazan. This report is part of the center's ongoing monitoring of weather fluctuations to ensure the safety of citizens and residents.
Weather details and affected areas
According to the center's report, the weather phenomenon began forming at 1:00 AM and is expected to continue until 8:00 AM. The accompanying effects include a reduction in horizontal visibility to between 3 and 5 kilometers, necessitating caution while driving on highways and coastal roads.
The National Center for Meteorology has precisely identified the cities and governorates covered by this alert, which are:
- Makkah Region: Al Qunfudhah Governorate and its affiliated coastal areas.
- Asir region: The situation includes the governorates of Al-Birk and Al-Qahmah.
- Jazan region: Fog covers Darb, Bish, Farasan Island, and Jazan city.
The geographical and climatic context of the phenomenon
Light fog in the early morning hours is a common phenomenon in coastal areas bordering the Red Sea, especially during seasonal transitions or in winter. This is due to the high relative humidity coming from the sea, which condenses upon contact with cooler air layers near the Earth's surface during the night and early morning hours, forming a layer of fog that reduces visibility.
These areas are of vital importance due to their location on international and coastal roads linking the north and south of the Kingdom, in addition to the maritime activity in the ports of Jazan and Al-Qunfudhah, which makes such alerts of utmost importance to the transport and logistics sector.
Traffic safety guidelines
In such conditions, traffic safety and road security authorities typically emphasize the importance of following safe driving guidelines in fluctuating weather. Experts advise drivers to maintain a safe distance between vehicles, use fog lights or low beams instead of high beams which can reduce visibility due to reflections on water droplets, reduce speed, and stay in their designated lanes.
The National Center of Meteorology continues to update its reports periodically through its official platforms, calling on everyone to follow the weather conditions before planning to travel or go out during times of weather fluctuations, in order to ensure public safety.
