The National Center for Meteorology issued an urgent report this morning, Monday, detailing the weather conditions and warning of severe weather fluctuations affecting several vital regions. The report included advanced warnings of heavy thunderstorms accompanied by significant weather phenomena in the Madinah and Tabuk regions, coinciding with a sharp decrease in horizontal visibility in the Eastern Province due to fog.
Details of the rainfall situation in Medina and Tabuk
The center explained that the rainfall currently affecting the Madinah and Tabuk is heavy and will continue throughout the early morning hours. In Madinah, rain is expected to continue until 11:00 AM, while in Tabuk, it will persist until 9:00 AM. The weather system is not limited to rain; it is also accompanied by strong surface winds, hail, flash floods in valleys and ravines, and thunderstorms.
The affected areas in the Madinah region include: Madinah, Badr, Khaybar, Al-Ula, Al-Ais, Al-Mahd, Al-Hanakiya, Wadi Al-Fara, Al-Rais, and Yanbu. In the Tabuk region, the report specifically highlighted the Tayma governorate due to the expected heavy rainfall.
Red alert and heavy fog in the eastern region
In a related development, the National Center of Meteorology issued a "red alert" for the Eastern Province, warning of a dense fog that began at midnight and is expected to continue until 8:00 AM today. This phenomenon is causing near-zero horizontal visibility (less than 1 kilometer), necessitating extreme caution for motorists on highways.
The fog wave covers large areas including: (Dammam, Dhahran, Khobar, Jubail, Khafji, Qatif, Ras Tanura, Al-Ahsa, Abqaiq, Al-Nairiyah, and many others).
The climatic and geographical context of the weather condition
These weather fluctuations are part of the seasonal transition in Saudi Arabia, where the western and northern regions typically experience atmospheric instability resulting from the convergence of cold and warm air masses. Rainfall in the Madinah region is particularly significant and potentially dangerous due to its geography, characterized by numerous large valleys and mountain slopes, making it highly susceptible to flash floods. This necessitates the constant activation of proactive emergency plans.
Safety recommendations and the importance of warnings
Due to the hazardous weather conditions, including flash floods and poor visibility, relevant authorities, including the Civil Defense, emphasize the necessity of staying away from valleys and flood channels and not attempting to cross them, regardless of the water level. Drivers in the Eastern Province are also advised to use fog lights, reduce speed, and maintain a safe following distance to avoid traffic accidents caused by reduced visibility. These periodic reports from the National Center for Meteorology are crucial for preserving lives and property and reflect the technological advancements in early warning systems in the Kingdom.
