Saudi Arabia faces days of dust storms, strong winds, and unstable weather / Photo: File
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is preparing for several days of dust storms, strong winds, and unstable weather conditions that are expected to affect large areas of the Kingdom until Saturday, February 28, 2026.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the country’s official weather agency, has issued multiple alerts as people brace for low visibility and difficult conditions in several areas.
Saudi Arabia weather this week
From Tuesday, February 24 to Saturday, February 28, the National Center of Meteorology expected dust storms triggered by active winds to occur in major parts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Early warnings highlighted harsh conditions in Tabuk, Medina, and Mecca (including the coastal belts), as well as Al-Jawf, the northern border, and Hail.As the week progressed, other regions were added to the unstable forecast, with the expected impacts extending to Al-Qassim, Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and Najran. Daylight hours are likely to witness intense dust and wind activity.Authorities warned that strong surface winds would carry sand and dust across large areas, reducing horizontal visibility to only a few kilometers at times and complicating travel and outdoor activities.
Alert and warning from the Saudi authorities
The National Center of Meteorology issued graded alerts across parts of the Kingdom to indicate the danger and expected impact:
- Red alerts have been issued for parts of the eastern region (including Khafji and Hafr Al-Batin) and parts of the northern border (such as Al-Uwaiqla and Arar). These warnings predict dusty conditions that reduce visibility to about 1 kilometer or less during peak storm hours.
Orange alerts Meteorology covered several governorates around Riyadh, including Zulfi, Shaqra, and Darma, with forecasts of horizontal visibility ranging between 1-3 km due to strong winds and raised dust.- The yellow alerts extended to the south of the city of Riyadh and its surrounding areas, with moderate winds stirring dust and an unstable atmosphere.
Satellite images issued by the National Center of Meteorology showed dense dust columns affecting parts of Al-Jawf and the northern borders, with horizontal visibility decreasing in some areas as the weather condition develops.
What do you expect?
Besides dust gusts and strong winds, other meteorological factors are affecting the situation: The National Center of Meteorology noted that the tropical cyclone system in the wider Arab region, Cyclone Tej, will not directly hit Saudi Arabia, but its external effects, including moderate to heavy rains, dusty surface winds and rising sea levels in southern regions such as Al-Kharkhir and Sharurah governorates in Najran, could be felt early in the week.It is also expected that the wind speed at sea and on coastal areas (such as Al-Wajh in Tabuk, Yanbu in Medina, and Rabigh and Jeddah in the Makkah Al-Mukarramah region) will lead to high waves and pose marine risks, especially during daylight hours.
