Saudi Arabia’s National Center for Meteorology issued its weather outlook for Friday, October 23, 2026, warning that moderate to heavy thunderstorms could affect several parts of the Kingdom. The forecast highlighted the possibility of flash flooding, hail and strong winds capable of stirring up dust and reducing visibility in affected areas.

According to the center’s daily report, rainfall opportunities extend across parts of Jazan, Asir, Al-Baha and Makkah, with additional areas potentially affected in Madinah, Hail, Tabuk, Al-Jouf and the Northern Borders. Northern parts of the Eastern Province were also included in the broader forecast. Conditions are expected to vary considerably between individual locations.

The center’s early-warning system listed alerts of different severity levels, including red warnings for heavy rainfall in specific locations within Asir, Al-Jouf and the Northern Borders. Orange warnings for moderate rainfall were also issued for areas including Al-Baha, Makkah and Hail. These warnings apply to designated locations and time periods rather than entire regions uniformly.

Potential hazards identified in official warnings include intense winds, reduced horizontal visibility, hail, lightning and possible flash flooding. Separate fog alerts were also listed for parts of the Eastern Province and other locations. Motorists should therefore remain attentive to changing road conditions, particularly in areas experiencing poor visibility or heavy rainfall.

The forecast is especially relevant to residents, road travelers and people visiting mountainous areas, valleys or locations vulnerable to rapidly accumulating rainwater. Precautionary guidance includes avoiding flood channels, refraining from driving through moving water and following instructions from the relevant authorities. Travelers should also check the latest official alerts before setting out.

Importantly, the warnings describe forecast conditions and potential hazards. They do not establish that flooding has already occurred in every area named or that damage has been reported across all affected regions. Alert boundaries, severity classifications and validity periods may change as the weather system develops. Residents and visitors can follow the National Center for Meteorology’s official website and early-warning service for the latest location-specific information.

Source: Saudi National Center for Meteorology (NCM)