Meteorological authorities warn of dense fog and reduced visibility in 5 regions of Saudi Arabia

The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued weather , indicating the formation of fog of varying intensity that is directly impacting horizontal visibility in large parts of five major regions of the Kingdom. According to the report, this weather condition began in the early hours of Wednesday morning and will continue until 8:00 AM in some areas, extending to 9:00 AM in others, urging motorists to exercise caution.

Weather details and its effects

The center explained that the weather phenomenon consists of light to moderate fog, sometimes dense, which reduces horizontal visibility to between 3 and 5 kilometers in some areas, while visibility drops to near zero (1 to 3 kilometers) in others. This phenomenon is common at this time of year, as relative humidity increases and minimum temperatures decrease, creating conditions conducive to water vapor condensation and fog formation.

Affected areas and cities

The alerts covered a wide geographical area, including the following regions:

• Makkah Region: The warnings included coastal and highland governorates, including Jeddah, Al Qunfudhah, Al Lith, Al Shu’aibah, in addition to Adham, Maysan, Bani Yazid, Jadhma, Yalamlam, Al Ardiyat, and Al Muzaylif.
• Asir region: The highlands and major cities such as Abha, Ahad Rafidah, Al Namas, Tanomah, Balqarn, Al Majardah, Mahayil, Rijal Alma, Bariq, Al Harjah, Al Rabua, Al Farsha, Sarat Abidah, Dhahran Al Janoub, Al Birk and Al Qahmah were affected.
• Jazan region: The situation included Jazan city, Sabya, Abu Arish, Al Darb, Bish, Farasan, Al Harth, Al Dayer, Al Reeth, Al Ardah, Al Eidabi, Fifa, Haroub, Ahad Al Masarihah, Al Tuwal, Al Fatihah, and Samtah.
• Al-Baha region: Fog covered the city of Al-Baha, Baljurashi, Al-Mandaq, Al-Qura, Bani Hassan, Al-Hajrah, Al-Makhwah, Qalwah, and Far’ah Ghamid Al-Zanad.
• Eastern region: The situation was concentrated in Al-Adid and Dhablatun.

The importance of warnings and safety guidelines

These warnings are of paramount importance to ensure the safety of citizens and residents, especially drivers on highways and open roads connecting the governorates. The relevant authorities, including Civil Defense and Traffic Police, urge drivers to adhere to traffic regulations in such conditions, use their vehicle's fog lights, avoid speeding, and maintain a safe following distance to prevent traffic accidents that may result from sudden loss of visibility.

This report reflects the vital role played by the National Center for Meteorology in monitoring climate changes and issuing early warnings, which contributes to raising the level of preparedness of service and security agencies to deal with emergencies, and helps the public in planning their daily movements in a way that ensures their safety.