These are the Saudi Arabian dust storm hotspots to watch out for
Stay safe
Saudi Arabia’s Regional Centre for Sand and Dust Storms has just pinpointed six key primary zones as the main source of dust patterns forming in the Kingdom. As part of the ongoing efforts to reduce the impact dust storms currently have in the country, these are the key Saudi Arabian dust storm hotspots to steer clear of.
According to Saudi Gazette, the identified areas include the Al-Jafurah region, Nafud Al-Thuwairat, the Hasma Plateau, the western fringes of the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali), the southwestern edge of the Tuwaiq Escarpment, and the southern Red Sea coastline.
When we take a closer look, satellite data does indicate a bit of a decline in overall atmospheric dust levels. According to weather experts, there’s still a chance that sandstorm frequency and intensity could rise due to climate change.
As a result, Saudi Arabia has been furthering environmental policies together with the Saudi Green and Middle East Green Initiatives. The Kingdom launched a five-year global initiative worth USD10 million, investing in a system that issues early warnings for sand and dust storms. The initiative aims to support Saudi Arabia’s climate adaptation framework.
Dust storms cause significant damage not just to daily life but also to power lines, telecom networks, and industrial machinery, but also to sustainable development goals.
To address the problem head-on, the Kingdom has also set ambitious goals to plant 10 billion trees nationwide, a reforestation drive covering roughly 74 million hectares. The plans aim to reduce desertification and improve air quality across the Kingdom.
Just at the beginning of this month, the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) announced that dust storms will continue to affect several regions of Saudi Arabia. Winds also extended to parts of the Northern Borders, Al-Jouf, Hail, Al-Qassim, and Riyadh regions.
Visit: dust.ncm.gov.sa
