Thunderstorms and heavy dust forecast for several Saudi regions on Friday

The National Center for Meteorology has forecast moderate to heavy thunderstorms, accompanied by hail and strong winds, over parts of Jazan and Asir regions.

The center added that light to moderate rain is expected over parts of the highlands in Al-Baha and Makkah regions, with a chance of rain-bearing thunderclouds forming over southern parts of the Eastern Province, parts of Najran, and the highlands of Madinah.

The center also noted that maximum temperatures will remain high in parts of the Eastern Province and Riyadh, while strong winds stirring dust and sand will continue to affect these areas, potentially reducing horizontal visibility to near zero along coastal parts of Makkah and Madinah.

Sea and wind conditions

The report indicated that surface winds over the Red Sea will be northwesterly to northerly in the northern and central sections, and northwesterly to westerly in the southern section, at speeds between 25 and 55 km/h. Wave heights will range from 1.5 to 2.5 meters, with moderate to rough sea conditions expected.

In the Arabian Gulf, surface winds will be northwesterly to southeasterly at speeds between 10 and 35 km/h, with wave heights from half a meter to one meter, and generally slight sea conditions.