• Mou Mou
• 08 Jan, 2025

Saudi Arabia has preparing for severe weather as heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and strong winds are forecast in various regions. The Authorities have issued safety warnings and urging residents to take precautions.

Weather Forecast and Alerts

According to The National Center for Meteorology's (NCM) prediction heavy rainfall in areas including Asir, Al-Baha and Makkah. Thunderstorms, hail and strong winds are expected to prompting a red alert in these regions. Fog might also form reducing visibility in some areas.

In northern Saudi Arabia weather temperatures are expected to drop significantly with snowfall in some places. Dusty winds and scattered rain may affect parts of Riyadh, Qassim, the Eastern Region and Jazan.

Impact on Cities

Riyadh: The capital city experienced its first rainfall of this season on Tuesday with hailstorms hitting some areas.

Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah: Heavy rains on last Monday caused floods in low lying areas, disrupting daily life and leading to safety warnings from Civil Defence.

Safety Measures Issued

The General Directorate of Civil Defence has advised the public to

- Stay indoors during the heavy rainfall.

- Avoid valleys, flooded roads and low lying areas.

- Follow all official safety instructions.

Authorities also shared updates on social media, cautioning people to stay away from dangerous areas during the storms. 

Social Media Updates

The videos circulating online show flooded streets in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah with submerged vehicles and stormy weather dominating the scenes. The Makkah Governorate has also shared a visuals of the rain and thunderstorms.

Read More: Dharmaraj Salon

Sea and Coastal Conditions

The Red Sea will see varying winds

- North-easterly to northerly in the northern and central parts.

- South-easterly to south-westerly in the southern part with speeds of 20 to 50 km/h.

Waves could rise from 1.5 meters to above 2 meters making the sea choppy in some areas.