Warning of dense fog hitting 4 regions
The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued an important weather warning for the coming hours, indicating the formation of fog of varying intensity, potentially reaching dense levels, across large parts of four major regions during the early morning hours of Wednesday. The center explained that this weather phenomenon will lead to a sharp decrease in horizontal visibility, which may reach near-zero visibility in some areas.
According to the report, visibility may drop to between 1 and 3 kilometers in areas affected by moderate fog, while visibility may be completely absent, reaching less than one kilometer in areas experiencing heavy fog, which poses a risk to public safety and requires caution, especially for drivers on highways and internal roads.
Scientific context and causes of fog formation
Fog is a natural phenomenon that occurs when water vapor in the air condenses near the Earth's surface, forming a low-lying cloud that touches the ground. This phenomenon often occurs at night and in the early morning when the ground cools rapidly, causing the air in contact with it to cool below the dew point. In the Kingdom, fog is common in coastal areas such as the Eastern Province and Jazan due to the high humidity coming from bodies of water like the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, as well as in northern regions during certain times of the year as a result of the convergence of different air masses.
Detailed list of affected areas
The National Center for Meteorology identified the regions and governorates affected by fog as follows:
- The Eastern Province: It includes a wide range of vital cities and governorates such as Jubail, Khobar, Dammam, Khafji, Dhahran, Qatif, Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Al Udeid, Salwa, and Al-Ahsa Governorate.
- Medina region: The impact is concentrated on the governorates of Al-Rais and Yanbu.
- Al-Jawf region: The warning includes the governorates of Al-Qurayyat and Tabarjal.
- Jazan region: Fog covers the governorates of Darb, Bish, Abu Arish, Ahad Al Masarihah, Al Tuwal, Al Fatihah, Samtah, Sabya, and Damad.
Importance and expected effects
This warning is of utmost importance given the direct impacts that dense fog can have. Locally, transportation is expected to be significantly affected, with an increased risk of traffic accidents on roads connecting these cities. Reduced visibility may also impact air traffic at airports within the warning zone, potentially causing delays or rescheduling of some flights. Economically, operations at ports and major industrial areas could be affected, particularly in the Eastern Province, a vital industrial hub for the Kingdom. Therefore, relevant authorities, primarily the Civil Defense and Highway Patrol, urge citizens and residents to stay updated on weather conditions and exercise extreme caution while traveling.
General weather forecast for Wednesday
In addition to the fog warning, the weather report indicated a continued chance of light rain in the northernmost parts of the Kingdom. Dust-raising winds will also continue to affect parts of the Northern Borders, Al-Jawf, Tabuk, Hail, and Madinah regions, extending to the eastern parts of Makkah, and parts of Al-Qassim, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province.
