Saudi Arabia is bracing for a multi-day stretch of dust storms, strong winds and unstable weather conditions expected to affect wide swaths of the Kingdom through Saturday, February 28, 2026. The National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the country’s official weather agency, has issued multiple alerts as people prepare for reduced visibility and challenging conditions across several regions.
Saudi Arabia weather this week
From Tuesday, February 24 through Saturday, February 28, the NCM forecast dust storms stirred by active winds across major parts of Saudi Arabia. The earliest warnings highlighted strong conditions in Tabuk, Madinah and Makkah (including coastal belts), as well as Al-Jawf, the Northern Borders and Hail.As the week progressed, additional regions were added to the unstable outlook, with expected impacts extending into Qassim, Riyadh, the Eastern Province and Najran. Daytime hours are likely to see the most intense dust and wind activity.Authorities cautioned that strong surface winds will lift sand and dust across wide areas, reducing horizontal visibility to just a few kilometres at times and complicating travel and outdoor activities.
Saudi authorities alert and warnings
The NCM has issued tiered alerts across parts of the Kingdom to indicate the severity and expected impact:
- Red Alerts were issued for portions of the Eastern Province (including Al-Khafji and Hafar Al-Batin) and parts of the Northern Borders (such as Al-Uwayqilah and Arar). These warnings forecast dusty conditions reducing visibility to about 1 km or less during peak storm hours.
- Orange Alerts covered multiple governorates around Riyadh including Al-Zulfi, Shaqra and Durma, with expected horizontal visibility between 1–3 km because of strong winds and blowing dust.
- Yellow Alerts extended to southern parts of Riyadh and other nearby localities, indicating moderate dusty winds and unsettled conditions.
Satellite imagery released by the NCM showed dense dust plumes affecting parts of Al-Jawf and the Northern Borders, with near-zero visibility in some spots as the weather system developed.
What to expect?
Along with blowing dust and strong winds, other meteorological factors are influencing the situation: The NCM noted that a tropical cyclone system in the wider Arabian region, Cyclone Tej, would not directly hit Saudi Arabia, but its outer effects, including moderate to heavy rain, dusty surface winds and higher seas in southern zones like Najran’s Al-Kharkhir and Sharurah governorates, could be felt early in the week.Also, wind speeds at sea and along coastal stretches (such as Al-Wajh in Tabuk, Yanbu in Madinah, and Rabigh and Jeddah in the Makkah region) are expected to raise wave heights and pose marine hazards, especially during daytime hours.
