Red storm alert issued in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia residents, be careful out there in the storm…
A huge dust storm has hit Saudi Arabia and authorities have issued red alerts and warnings of unstable weather in the coming days.
Safety warnings have been issued as Saudi Arabia residents of Al Qassim province witnessed a rare and dramatic phenomenon described as a “wall of dust” that swept through the area yesterday, Sunday, and reduced visibility to near zero.
Gulf News reported that meteorologist Abdullah Al Misnad, who is a former professor at Qassim University, said that the event was from powerful downdrafts from cumulonimbus clouds — scientifically classified as gravity-driven haboobs — which generate intense, fast-moving dust walls and these are what the country witnessed.
He noted that these walls can reach heights of up to 2,000 meters and wind speeds of 100 km/h, which can be major hazards to both air and land transportation. The National Center for Meteorology has issued red alerts across five regions, including Riyadh and the Eastern Province, warning of continued dust storms, heavy rainfall, hail, and potential flooding.
Authorities urged residents to remain indoors, avoid open areas, and limit travel, especially on highways and exposed roads during this storm in Saudi Arabia. Hopefully you’re not on holidays here at the moment…