Saudi Arabia issues orange weather alert in Riyadh and beyond
Stay safe
Saudi Arabia’s National Centre for Meteorology has issued orange and yellow alerts across several regions as dust storms and active winds continue to affect large areas of the Kingdom, significantly reducing visibility. Here’s what we know about the orange weather alert in Saudi Arabia.
According to Saudi Gazette, the orange weather alert in Saudi Arabia, indicating more severe weather conditions, was announced for parts of the Makkah Region, the Eastern Province, Riyadh Region, Najran and Asir. Currently, it’s only active in the Riyadh and Makkah regions. A yellow alert has since been declared across the Asir, Najran, Tabuk, Ha’il, Northern Borders, Qassim, and Al-Jawf regions.
In Riyadh, the weather alert applies to the governorates of Afif, Al-Rayn, Al-Quway’iyah, and Dawadimi. While in Makkah, the Al-Muwayh, Al-Khurmah, Turba, and Rania governorates will primarily be affected.
The unstable weather conditions affecting large parts of the Kingdom are expected to continue until Saturday February 28. The National Centre for Meteorology advised residents and motorists in affected regions to exercise caution, particularly on highways and open roads, due to fluctuating visibility and strong winds. The centre also warned that the alert will be impacted by blowing dust, accompanied by strong winds and a reduction in horizontal visibility.
These areas are expected to experience blowing dust and active winds, with visibility decreasing to between three and five kilometres. The National Centre for Meteorology’s alert system includes four levels: green, yellow, orange, and red.
The National Centre for Meteorology has also announced the weather forecast for the holy month of Ramadan in the regions of Makkah and Madinah, including rainfall and temperature predictions during the holy month.
The centre explained that the expected rainfall amounts will be less than the normal average in both Mecca and Medina. The normal rainfall average in Mecca is about 4.2 mm, and in Medina it is about 4.3 mm. Any rainfall, if it occurs, will be classified as light. The report also indicated that temperatures are expected to be higher than normal during Ramadan, with the maximum expected increase being one degree Celsius in Mecca and 1.2 degrees Celsius in Medina.
The alert is expected to last until 9pm tonight, but stay tuned to What’s On Saudi Arabia for the latest.
