The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued weather , warning of varying intensity fog affecting large parts of five major regions of the Kingdom during the early morning hours of Wednesday. This warning comes as part of the Center's ongoing monitoring of weather fluctuations to ensure the safety of citizens and residents.
Weather details and its effects
The center explained in its report that the weather phenomenon is characterized by fog formation, which reduces horizontal visibility to between 3 and 5 kilometers in some areas, while visibility may reach near-zero levels, ranging between 1 and 3 kilometers in other locations. The forecast indicates that this condition will persist until 8:00 AM in some areas and extend until 9:00 AM in others, necessitating caution while driving on highways and open roads.
Areas and cities affected by fog
The alert covered diverse geographical areas, including coasts and mountainous highlands, and its distribution was as follows:
- Makkah Region: Warnings were issued for the governorates of Al-Qunfudhah, Al-Lith, Jeddah, Ash-Shuaiba, Adham, Maysan, Bani Yazid, Jadhma, Yalamlam, Al-Ardiyat, and Al-Muzaylif. These coastal areas and the nearby highlands are prone to fog formation due to high relative humidity levels.
- Eastern Region: The situation was concentrated in Al-Adid and Dhablawan, as these areas are affected by humid air masses coming from the Arabian Gulf.
- The Asir region encompasses a long list of governorates and centers, including Abha, Al-Namas, Tanomah, Balqarn, Ahad Rafidah, Al-Harjah, Al-Rabou'ah, Al-Farshah, Sarat Abidah, Dhahran Al-Janoub, Al-Barak, Al-Qahmah, Al-Majardah, Bariq, Rijal Alma', and Muhayil. Asir is renowned for its fog phenomenon, a result of its towering mountains that seem to embrace the clouds.
- Jazan region: It included Al Darb, Bish, Jazan city, Farasan, Al Harth, Al Dayer, Al Reeth, Al Ardah, Al Eidabi, Fifa, Haroub, Abu Arish, Ahad Al Masarihah, Al Tuwal, Al Fatihah, Samtah, Sabya, and Damad.
- Al-Baha region: included Al-Hujrah, Al-Makhwah, Far’ah Ghamid Al-Zanad, Qalwah, Al-Baha city, Al-Qura, Al-Mandaq, Baljurashi, and Bani Hassan.
Climate context and the importance of warnings
These weather phenomena are part of the Kingdom's typical climate during transitional periods and winter. The Kingdom's diverse geography, ranging from extensive coastlines to towering mountain ranges, contributes to the variation in weather conditions. In coastal areas such as Jeddah, the Eastern Province, and Jazan, high humidity plays a key role in the formation of morning fog, while in the southwestern highlands (Asir and Al-Baha), lower temperatures and low-lying cloud cover contribute to reduced visibility.
These warnings are of paramount importance locally, as they directly impact traffic flow and the morning commutes of employees and students. Relevant authorities, including Civil Defense and Highway Patrol, urge drivers to adhere to speed limits, use fog lights, and maintain a safe following distance to avoid traffic accidents that may result from sudden loss of visibility.
The National Center for Meteorology continues to use the latest technologies and early monitoring systems to track the weather and issue real-time alerts, reflecting the great development in the Saudi meteorological system and its ability to accurately predict weather phenomena to protect lives and property.
