In brief
The National Center for Meteorology confirmed that Sunday will bring thunderstorms with hail across Jazan, Asir, Al‑Baha, Mecca, Medina, Hail, the Northern Borders and Eastern regions, accompanied by fog and dust‑stirring gusts over Riyadh and Qassim. Coastal seas will experience moderate to stormy conditions with waves up to two meters. Conflicting details on wave heights and wind speeds were reported by the agency, but the overall forecast is clear.
On Sunday, November 1, 2026, the National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia announced that the kingdom would experience thunderstorms with rain, hail, and gusty winds across several provinces, including Jazan, Asir, Al‑Baha, Mecca, Medina, Hail, the Northern Borders, and the Eastern region. The agency also warned of fog in parts of the mentioned areas and dust‑laden gusts over Riyadh and Qassim.
Confirmed by both Saudi Press Agency releases, the forecast includes hail‑laden thundershowers consistent across the southwestern and central zones. The atmospheric conditions are expected to produce cold gusts, with surface winds from the northwest Red Sea bringing speeds of 12–35 km/h in the northern part of the sea and from the west in the central part. Winds over the Arabian Gulf are projected to be easterly to southeasterly at 10–50 km/h in the north, and northeasterly to northerly at 10–50 km/h in the south.
Coastal regions will see wave heights ranging from half a meter to one and a half meters, as reported by SPA. One release noted wave heights could reach two meters, while the other capped them at 1.5 m; both agreed the sea would be calm to choppy. The air in Riyadh and Qassim will be stirred by dust‑laden gusts, adding to the overall windy conditions across the kingdom.
Unconfirmed details remain regarding the maximum wave height and exact wind direction variations: some reports mention northwesterly to westerly winds over the central Red Sea, whereas others describe southeasterly to southwesterly flows in the southern part. These differences are minor compared to the overall forecast of high storm activity and significant wind and wave activity across the country.
