Riyadh: The National Center for Meteorology (NCM) revealed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) witnessed its strongest cold wave in history in January 1992, which lasted for seven days in a row.
During the days of the freezing weather, the Hail station recorded the lowest temperature of -9.3 degree Celsius on January 5 of that year, with an average minimum temperature of -4.4 degree Celsius.
Between 1985 and 2023, the NCM data revealed Hail and Al-Qurayyat stations topped the list of the lowest recorded minimum temperatures in the Kingdom during January, making them the focal points of the strong cold waves that affect the Kingdom during the winter season, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
This information emphasises the extreme climatic conditions that the Kingdom may face during the winter, emphasising the significance of monitoring the NCM’s bulletins and taking the required steps to deal with such weather occurrences.
The NMC forecast predicts a drop in mercury and snowfall in the northern regions of Tabuk, Al-Jouf, and Northern Borders during the mid-current winter school vacation.
The Meteorology Department’s weather analyst, Aqeel Al-Aqeel, predicted that during the next two days, temperatures in the capital city of Riyadh will be 2 degrees Celsius and below zero in some parts of northern Saudi Arabia. Temperatures in Madinah and Riyadh’s suburbs can rise to 2 degrees Celsius.
He added that snow is predicted to fall on the highlands of the Tabuk region and the Northern Borders Region, particularly at the far northern edges of the Kingdom, during the coming week.
Call for preparedness
Al-Aqeel urged all residents and citizens to exercise caution and vigilance, adhere to safety protocols, and follow official meteorological reports. Additionally, when travelling around or engaging in outdoor activities, he emphasised the significance of being well-prepared.
