Today's weather forecast for Thursday: Rain, severe cold, and dust in Saudi Arabia
The National Center for Meteorology issued its daily report on weather conditions for today, Thursday, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, revealing widespread weather fluctuations including a noticeable drop in temperatures, rainfall, and surface wind activity in several regions.
Lower temperatures and a cold wave
very cold weather is expected across large parts of the Kingdom, particularly in the northern and central regions. This significant drop in temperatures will affect the following areas:
- Tabuk region
- Al-Jawf region
- Northern Border Region
- Hail region
- Eastern Province
- Riyadh region
- Al-Qassim region
This weather coincides with the usual climatic features of winter in the Kingdom, as the country is affected by cold air masses that lead to a decrease in minimum temperatures, which requires citizens and residents to wear appropriate winter clothing and take precautions, especially children and the elderly.
Rain and fog map
The report not only included temperature readings but also indicated that the sky would be partly to mostly cloudy, with a chance of scattered rain . The likelihood of precipitation is concentrated in parts of the Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, and Makkah regions, and may extend to parts of the Riyadh and Eastern regions.
In a related context, the center warned of fog during the night and early morning hours, which could reduce horizontal visibility on highways in rainy areas, as well as in parts of the Northern Borders, Al-Jawf, and Tabuk regions. Fog is a weather phenomenon that requires cautious driving and maintaining safe distances between vehicles.
Active winds and dust storms
The weather forecast warned of surface wind activity that stirs up dust and sand, reducing horizontal visibility, especially in the southern parts of the Eastern Province and Riyadh, with its impact extending to the Najran region, and parts of Makkah, Madinah and Tabuk.
In a special alert for the Eastern Province , the center explained that the dust storm will continue to affect the region today, Thursday, from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The effects include reduced horizontal visibility (3-5 km) and near-zero visibility (1-3 km) in some areas. The alert covers the cities of Jubail, Khobar, Dammam, Dhahran, Qatif, Ras Tanura, Khafji, Nairyah, Qaryat Al-Ulya, Al-Ahsa, and Abqaiq.
State of the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf
Regarding maritime navigation, the report indicated that surface winds on the Red Sea will be westerly to northerly at a speed of 25-45 km/h on the northern and central parts, with wave heights reaching two and a half meters, making the sea state moderate to rough.
In the Arabian Gulf , the winds will be northerly to northwesterly at a speed of up to 50 km/h with the formation of rain-bearing thunderclouds, leading to waves reaching up to two and a half meters high and a rough sea state, which requires caution for seafarers and fishermen.
