Saudi forecast warns of heavy rain, flash-flood risk across 11 regions

The Saudi Press Agency reported a National Center for Meteorology forecast for Sunday, 25 October, warning that moderate to heavy rain may fall across parts of 11 regions. The forecast says the rain could lead to flash floods and be accompanied by hail and gusty winds; fog may also form in parts of the affected areas. These are forecast conditions, not a report of rainfall or damage already observed.

The regions named are Jazan, Aseer, Al-Baha, Makkah, Madinah, Qassim, Hail, Tabuk, Al-Jouf, Northern Borders and the Eastern Region. SPA’s wording refers to parts of these regions, rather than every district. The report does not give rainfall totals or a district-by-district timing schedule for the nationwide outlook.

The forecast also divides Red Sea conditions into northern, central and southern sections. Winds in the north are expected to be northwesterly to northerly at 10–50 kilometres per hour; in the central section, southeasterly to northeasterly at 15–50 km/h; and in the south, southerly to southeasterly at 20–50 km/h. Waves are forecast at half a metre to more than two metres, with sea conditions ranging from calm to choppy.

For the Arabian Gulf, the agency gives northwesterly to northerly winds of 10–32 km/h in the northern section and northwesterly to westerly winds of 12–35 km/h in the southern section. Waves are forecast at half a metre to 1.5 metres, and the sea is described as relatively calm. The release presents these as separate marine areas and does not give a single wind or wave value for the whole coast.

The forecast is dated for Sunday and cites the National Center for Meteorology; it does not say that the predicted conditions occurred. Its marine ranges offer a regional picture, while the inland rain outlook identifies only parts of the listed regions. No road closures, port restrictions, evacuations or damage reports are included in SPA’s forecast.

The report therefore records expected weather hazards and marine conditions for 25 October, rather than a measured daily weather summary. The highest stated Red Sea wave level is “over” two metres, so it remains an open-ended forecast range; the Gulf range ends at 1.5 metres. The distinctions matter when reading the figures alongside the broad rain and visibility outlook.