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The National Center for Meteorology forecast thunderstorms accompanied by rain over sections of Jazan, Asir, Najran, Riyadh and the Eastern Province on August 11 while simultaneously projecting extreme heat across the country. Dammam and Buraidah are expected to reach the highest temperatures at 47 degrees Celsius according to the center while Riyadh will see 46 degrees Celsius. Makkah is forecast for 44 degrees Celsius, Madinah for 45 degrees Celsius and Jeddah for 42 degrees Celsius with hot to extremely hot conditions also persisting in the Northern Borders Region.
Active winds stirring dust and sand will affect the same thunderstorm zones as well as parts of Madinah and Makkah the National Center for Meteorology reported with horizontal visibility potentially falling to near zero along the coastal road to Jazan. Riyadh will experience thunderstorm clouds along with active winds and raised dust while Makkah and Jeddah are set for partly cloudy skies with similar wind and dust effects. Dammam is expected to see suspended dust and partly to mostly cloudy conditions with active winds according to the center’s breakdown for individual areas.
The National Center for Meteorology also detailed forecasts for additional locations including partly cloudy skies with active winds and dust in Buraidah and suspended dust with active winds in Al-Baha. Abha and Jazan will see thunderstorm clouds with active winds while Najran faces partly to mostly cloudy conditions with winds and dust. Tabuk and Hail are projected to encounter active winds with varying cloud cover the center stated.
This latest update from the National Center for Meteorology aligns with its seasonal outlook issued in late July that projected warmer-than-normal conditions across most Saudi regions from August through October with a 60 to 80 percent probability of above-average surface temperatures. The seasonal assessment indicated temperatures could rise by as much as 2 degrees Celsius above the climatic average in certain areas during the three-month period. Rainfall is expected to become more widespread toward the end of that window according to the center’s longer-range projections.
Similar warnings have been issued by the National Center for Meteorology in recent days including a forecast earlier in the week that anticipated peaks of 49 degrees Celsius in some locations alongside scattered thunderstorm activity. The center’s daily reports have consistently highlighted maximum temperatures remaining elevated over the Eastern Province and Riyadh regions. Dust-raising winds have featured prominently in those assessments affecting visibility in coastal sections of Makkah and Madinah.
The National Center for Meteorology operates as Saudi Arabia’s primary authority for weather monitoring and early warnings delivering both daily forecasts and extended climate outlooks to support public safety and planning. Its assessments draw on a network of observation stations and modeling tools to track developing thunderstorm cells and heat patterns across the Kingdom’s diverse terrain. Residents in affected areas are advised to monitor updates as conditions can evolve rapidly during such active weather periods.
