Thunderstorms and flash floods in 5 regions: Stay away from valleys
In its daily weather report for today, Saturday, the National Center for Meteorology expects moderate to heavy thunderstorms that will lead to flash floods in five regions: Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, Makkah, and Madinah. The weather conditions will be accompanied by hail showers, active winds that stir up dust and sand, and the formation of fog, leading to a decrease in horizontal visibility.
The report indicated the possibility of thunderstorms forming in the Najran region, and fog forming in parts of the Eastern Province. As for the state of the sea, it is light to moderate in the Red Sea with waves ranging from half a meter to one and a half meters, and light in the Arabian Gulf with waves between half a meter and one meter.
This weather pattern is not new to the southwestern regions. Last Tuesday, the General Directorate of Civil Defense called for caution regarding the continued rainfall from Wednesday until next Monday in Makkah, Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha, Madinah, and Najran, a warning that also covers today.
Practically, the Civil Defense instructions require staying in safe places, avoiding areas where floods and valleys gather, refraining from swimming in them, and not crossing valleys and flood channels while they are flowing, even if the water appears shallow. If you are driving, reduce your speed and stay away from flood channels, trees, and streetlights when winds intensify, and follow instructions via official accounts and media outlets.
In case of emergencies, call 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and 998 in all other regions.
Because the daily report changes according to the development of the situation, check the National Center for Meteorology's bulletin or its application before traveling between cities today and this evening, especially on mountain roads in Asir and Al-Baha and at the entrances to valleys in Jazan.
The daily warning is limited to the day it is issued, and the end of the weather conditions in the evening does not mean that the valleys have become safe, as floodwaters continue to flow in some channels for hours after the rain stops.