Holy cities experience moderate to heavy rains amid forecast of more until Sunday
RIYADH: As Ramadan enters its final 10 nights – Qiyam Al-Layl – several of Saudi Arabia's regions experienced moderate to heavy rain on Thursday, including the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
Al-Jami'ah district in Jeddah city recorded the highest levels with 24.8mm of rain.
The National Center for Meteorology has forecast this to continue until Sunday. Parts of Makkah, Al-Baha, Aseer, Jazan and Najran, in addition to parts of Qassim, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, can expect gusty winds, moderate to heavy rain, and hailstorms. There will be dust-stirring winds in Madinah, Tabuk, Al-Jouf and the Northern Borders region,
The rain in Makkah came as a blessing for Umrah pilgrims, giving them some respite from hot weather.
Faiz Al-Najdi, a Yanbu resident, told Arab News: 'It was pleasant weather in Makkah, I performed Umrah with family with ease and even performed Friday prayer in the open courtyard at the grand mosque. I feel blessed to perform my religious duty and enjoy good weather.'
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Civil Defense has called for caution and the need to remain in safe areas, avoiding areas prone to flooding and low-lying valleys. It warned people to refrain from swimming in them and urged adherence to any instructions announced by local authorities via various media outlets and social media platforms.
Text messages sent to residents in Riyadh said: 'Forecasts from the NCM indicate that moderate to heavy rains will fall on the Riyadh region (Riyadh, Diriyah, Dhurma, Al-Muzahmiyya, Rimah, Al-Kharj, Al-Dilam, Al-Hariq, Hawtah Bani Tamim). Rain conditions predicted from Wednesday to Saturday, corresponding to March 19 to 22, 2025.'
It also warned of flash floods and high waves on the coasts, as well as hailstorms in the highlands.
Winds over the Red Sea will be northwesterly to northerly, reaching 25-50 km per hour in northern and central parts, and northeasterly to southeasterly, reaching 15-45 km per hour in the south.
Waves might range from 1.5 meters to more than 2 meters and the sea is likely to be choppy.
In the Arabian Gulf, winds will be easterly to southeasterly at speeds of 12-40 km per hour. Waves may range from half a meter to more than 2 meters and the sea will be calm to choppy.
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