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The National Center for Meteorology updated its automated early warning system on September 3 to show four active red alerts for heavy rain in the Asir region covering Muhayil and one additional area along with Al Majardah and another plus Al Farshah with four more locations while a separate red alert covered Ad Dair and six other sites in Jazan according to the NCM platform. The center’s data indicated all four red warnings were modified on September 2 with start and end times falling on September 3 as part of broader forecasts for rain bearing thunderclouds accompanied by active winds. The NCM assessment found that such conditions could bring torrential rains hail and reduced visibility with potential for surface winds stirring dust and sand in affected zones while the overall active warnings reached 34 including 11 at orange level.
According to the National Center for Meteorology the red alerts signal the highest level of caution for severe weather that may include flash floods and thunderstorms as moderate to heavy rain is expected to intensify over the southern highlands through the coming days with forecasts extending the pattern from late August into next week. The NCM early warning map listed orange alerts for moderate rains including several in the Al Bahah region where moderate rains are forecast along with yellow alerts for lighter precipitation and blowing dust in additional sites in Makkah and surrounding areas the center reported. Civil defense authorities have aligned their guidance with these NCM forecasts urging the public to treat all alerts seriously and follow instructions on avoiding low lying areas.
The National Center for Meteorology has classified heavy rain events as those exceeding criteria that can coincide with winds of 60 kilometers per hour or greater and increase the likelihood of flash floods in low lying valleys based on its defined thresholds for warning levels. In an assessment of regional patterns the NCM noted that similar weather systems have developed due to seasonal cumulonimbus cloud activity interacting with thermal differences across the kingdom as seen in the continuation of rainfall since August 31. The center urged continuous monitoring of updates as conditions evolve particularly in the Jazan Asir Al Bahah and Makkah regions where precipitation has already been recorded in recent days the NCM stated in its daily report.
Saudi Civil Defense in coordination with the National Center for Meteorology has called on residents to avoid valleys and flooded areas while adhering to safety directives during the red alert period that remains in effect on Thursday. The General Directorate of Civil Defense previously highlighted risks from heavy rainfall events that can lead to reduced visibility and sudden water flows based on patterns observed in earlier incidents across western and southern Saudi Arabia according to its national early warning guidelines. Officials recommended that drivers reduce speeds and remain informed through official channels as the weather system is projected to persist into next week in some highlands the directorate added.
Data from the National Center for Meteorology shows that red level warnings activate specific preventive measures including heightened preparedness from emergency services to mitigate impacts on transportation and public safety across the listed governorates. The NCM forecast additionally anticipates potential fog formation overnight in coastal eastern areas which could further limit visibility in those sectors while active winds continue to affect parts of the Northern Borders and southern Riyadh. Thunderstorms accompanied by hail remain possible in the affected governorates as the system moves across the southern and western parts of the country the center stated in its 10 day outlook.
In its latest regional outlook the National Center for Meteorology projected that rainfall could continue at moderate to heavy levels in Al Namas Al Majardah and Rijal Alma in Asir with similar expectations for parts of Makkah including Maysan and Adham where alerts have been adjusted accordingly. The NCM breakdown of alert durations places most red warnings as active through the evening hours on Thursday while orange and yellow alerts extend into overnight periods in adjacent locations as part of the sustained weather event. This weather development follows a pattern of intensified autumn rainfall that the center has tracked in recent years across the kingdom’s western highlands with civil defense reinforcing the need for vigilance.
