Saudi Gazette Report

RIYADH — Rainfall around the normal rate is likely to be experienced in most regions of Saudi Arabia during the current spring season, according to the forecast of the National Center of Meteorology (NCM). These regions would not include parts of the regions of the Eastern Province, Hail, Northern Borders, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, and Asir where there is a 50 percent possibility for getting less than average of the rainfall that may receive in other regions.

The NCM report showed that there will be an increase of 2 degree Celsius than the normal rate in the surface temperature in most regions of the Kingdom, while the rise will reach one and a half degrees in the Jazan region and parts of the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Asir, and Tabuk.

The NCM issued a detailed report on forecasts of the prevailing climatic conditions in the Kingdom during the current spring season, which began in March and would continue until May this year. The report stated that in the month of March, climate forecasts indicate the possibility of rainfall around the normal rate in most regions of the Kingdom with an occurrence rate of 50-60 percent while the rainfall will be higher than the average in parts of the regions of Najran and Jazan and less than its average in parts of the regions of Hail, Al-Jouf, and the Northern Borders Region.

During the month of April, the center expects the normal rate of rainfall in most regions of the Kingdom, while it will be higher than its average in parts of the regions of Madinah, Al-Qassim, and Hail while the probability of a decrease in rainfall in parts of the regions of the Eastern Province, Northern Borders, and Asir. The center expects rain during the month of May to fall around the normal rate in most regions of the Kingdom, while it will be higher than its average in the regions of the Eastern Province, Tabuk, and the Northern Borders Region and the chance of rainfall will be less than normal in parts of the Asir and Jazan regions.

The center stated that during the month of March, surface temperatures are expected to rise approximately two degrees in most regions of the Kingdom, with the exception of the northeastern parts, where it may reach two and a half degrees Celsius while in the regions of Makkah, Al-Baha, Asir, Jazan, and Najran there will be an increase of one and a half degrees.

During the month of April temperatures are expected to rise in all regions of the Kingdom, and it is expected that the rate of this rise will be approximately two degrees in most regions of the Kingdom, while the rise is expected to reach one and a half degrees in the regions of Jazan and Najran and the coastal parts of the Makkah region.

During the month of May it is expected that temperatures will rise two degrees in the regions of Riyadh, Eastern Province, Al-Qassim, and Najran and reaches one and a half degrees in some regions of the Kingdom, including parts of the Eastern Province, parts of the Northern Borders, Hail, Madinah, Makkah and Jazan while the rate of rise in the rest of the regions would reach one degree Celsius, the report pointed out.