Saudi Arabia Faces Cold Wave as Temperatures Drop Below Zero
According to the Saudi Weather and Climate Association, the cold spell will sweep across northern and northeastern Saudi Arabia, affecting parts of the central region from Monday to Wednesday.
During this period, early morning temperatures could fall below zero degrees Celsius in the north and hover between zero and four degrees in parts of central Saudi Arabia, leading to frost formation and water freezing, particularly in unpopulated areas.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has forecast a sharp temperature drop across northern Saudi Arabia, accompanied by frost and fog overnight and in the early morning hours.
Strong surface winds, kicking up dust and sand, are expected across parts of Tabuk, Medina, and Mecca's coastal areas, as well as the Eastern Province, Riyadh, and Najran, extending to the eastern highlands of Asir and Al Baha.
Climatologists have identified this wave as 'Bard Al Ajooz' (the Old Woman's Cold), a well-known late-season cold front that typically arrives before spring.
According to Dr. Abdullah Al Misnad, a climate professor, the cold front began pushing into northern Saudi Arabia on Friday and will gradually expand southward, eastward, and westward, reaching Riyadh by Sunday.
Strongest impact
'The peak of the cold wave will vary by region,' Al Misnad wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 'It will hit the north on Monday and Tuesday, move into central areas on Tuesday and Wednesday, and peak in Medina on Tuesday. The Eastern Province and Najran will feel its strongest impact on Wednesday.'
The southwestern quarter of Saudi Arabia is expected to experience a less severe impact from the cold snap.
While temperatures are expected to gradually rise as Ramadan approaches, Al Misnad warned that subzero temperatures could persist for five consecutive days in the northern regions. He also noted that the snow line may drop to 800 meters above sea level in the far north, particularly during the early hours of Monday and Tuesday.
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