Heavy thunderstorms, hail and strong winds forecast for parts of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday

The National Center of Meteorology has forecast moderate to heavy thunderstorms on Tuesday, with downpours likely to cause flash floods, accompanied by hail and strong winds stirring dust and sand across parts of Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, and Makkah.

The center also reported that winds will be light to moderate in areas of Najran, Madinah, Hail, Tabuk, Al-Jouf, the Northern Borders, as well as parts of Riyadh and the Eastern Province. Fog is expected to form overnight and during early morning hours along the coastal areas of Tabuk, Madinah, Makkah, and the Eastern Province.

Surface winds over the northern Red Sea will be northwesterly to northerly at 18–48 km/h, while the central part will see northwesterly to northeasterly winds, and the southern part southeasterly to easterly winds at 15–35 km/h, reaching over 50 km/h toward the Bab Al-Mandab Strait. Thunderstorm clouds are expected to form with wind speeds of 10–32 km/h. Wave heights in the northern Red Sea will range from one to two meters, in the central part from half a meter to one meter, and in the southern part from half a meter to one and a half meters, exceeding two meters toward Bab Al-Mandab, with moderate to rough seas where thunderstorm clouds form.

In the Arabian Gulf, winds in the northern sector will be southwesterly to southeasterly, shifting at night to easterly to northeasterly at 10–28 km/h, reaching over 50 km/h with thunderstorm clouds. In the southern sector, winds will be westerly to southwesterly, turning at night to northeasterly to easterly at 10–28 km/h. Wave heights in the northern Gulf will range from half a meter to one meter, exceeding two meters with thunderstorms, resulting in slight to rough seas, while the southern Gulf will see slight waves.