أصدر المركز الوطني للأرصاد في المملكة العربية السعودية، تحذيراً بشأن تقلبات جوية متوقعة خلال الساعات القادمة، حيث توقع تكون حالة من الضباب الكثيف خلال ساعات الليل والصباح الباكر. وتشمل هذه الظاهرة أجزاء واسعة من مناطق الجوف، الحدود الشمالية، والمنطقة الشرقية، مما قد يؤدي إلى انخفاض حاد في مدى الرؤية الأفقية.

ووفقاً لتقرير المركز، لن تقتصر هذه الحالة الجوية على المناطق المذكورة، بل ستمتد لتشمل أجزاء من منطقتي تبوك والمدينة المنورة، بالإضافة إلى المرتفعات الغربية والجنوبية الغربية للمملكة. ويصاحب تكون الضباب وجود نشاط في الرياح السطحية التي من شأنها إثارة الأتربة والغبار، مما يزيد من تعقيد الحالة الجوية ويؤثر على جودة الهواء.

السياق المناخي وأسباب الظاهرة

تأتي هذه التحذيرات في سياق الخصائص المناخية للمملكة، خاصة في المناطق الشمالية والشرقية ذات الطبيعة الصحراوية. فخلال فترات معينة من العام، خاصة عند تغير الفصول، يؤدي التباين الكبير في درجات الحرارة بين الليل والنهار إلى تكثف بخار الماء بالقرب من سطح الأرض، مكوناً ما يعرف بالضباب الإشعاعي. أما الرياح النشطة، فهي سمة مناخية بارزة في المناطق المفتوحة، حيث تساهم في إثارة الغبار من التربة الجافة، وهي ظاهرة تتكرر بشكل دوري.

التأثيرات المتوقعة وأهمية الحذر

لهذه الظواهر الجوية تأثيرات مباشرة على الحياة اليومية والسلامة العامة. ويعد انخفاض الرؤية بسبب الضباب والغبار من أكبر التحديات التي تواجه قائدي المركبات على الطرق السريعة والرئيسية التي تربط هذه المناطق، مما يرفع من احتمالية وقوع الحوادث. كما قد تتأثر حركة الملاحة الجوية في المطارات الإقليمية والدولية، مما قد يسبب تأخيرًا أو إعادة جدولة لبعض الرحلات. من الناحية الصحية، يُنصح المصابون بأمراض الجهاز التنفسي والحساسية بتوخي الحذر وتجنب الخروج إلا للضرورة القصوى خلال فترات الغبار الكثيف.

حالة البحر الأحمر

وفيما يخص حركة الرياح على البحر الأحمر، أوضح المركز أن الرياح السطحية ستكون شمالية غربية إلى شمالية على الجزأين الشمالي والأوسط، بينما تكون جنوبية شرقية إلى جنوبية على الجزء الجنوبي، وتتراوح سرعتها بين 15 و 30 كيلومترًا في الساعة. وقد تصل سرعة الرياح إلى 45 كيلومترًا في الساعة مع تكون السحب الرعدية الممطرة على الجزأين الأوسط والجنوبي، مما يستدعي أخذ الحيطة والحذر من قبل مرتادي البحر والصيادين.

In a strategic move aimed at building a healthy and vibrant generation, the Saudi Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, announced the launch of a national awareness campaign under the slogan “Recess: Live Healthily.” This ambitious campaign aims to promote healthy eating habits and instill sound health practices within the school environment by empowering students and their parents with the information and tools necessary to make school recess a time of health and benefit.

This initiative comes within a broader context aligned with the ambitious goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, specifically the Health Sector Transformation Program. The Vision aims to build a vibrant society where individuals enjoy healthy and fulfilling lives by focusing on preventative medicine and raising the average life expectancy of citizens to 80 years. The "Live Healthily" campaign is one of the tools for achieving this goal, targeting children at an early age to instill healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime.

The importance of early intervention in the school environment

The campaign's significance stems from its focus on the school environment, where students spend a significant portion of their day, making it an ideal setting for positively influencing their behavior. Proper nutrition during the school years benefits not only physical growth but also enhances cognitive abilities, concentration, and academic performance. Given the contemporary health challenges posed by the proliferation of fast food and foods high in sugar and fat, guiding children toward healthy choices is crucial to combating diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are increasingly appearing at younger ages.

Campaign themes and detailed objectives

The “Live Healthy Break” campaign is based on several key pillars, foremost among them reinforcing the importance of breakfast as essential fuel for a busy school day. It also seeks to promote a culture of healthy school breakfasts and improve the breakfast selection habits of parents, students, and teachers. By providing them with the necessary knowledge, the campaign aims to empower them to make informed and sound nutritional decisions that contribute to building a balanced and sustainable diet. These efforts are an integral part of the broader “Live Healthy” initiative, which works to raise health and nutritional awareness across all segments of society.

Expected impact at the national level

This campaign is expected to have a tangible positive impact in both the short and long term. On an individual level, it will contribute to improving students' health and academic performance. On a national level, investing in children's health today is an investment in the Kingdom's future, as it will reduce the burden on the healthcare system and create a more productive and vibrant society capable of achieving its comprehensive development aspirations. This reflects the positive impact of the quality of life programs, which are a cornerstone of Vision 2030.

The National Center for Meteorology in Saudi Arabia issued a warning of expected weather fluctuations, predicting that large areas of the Kingdom will witness significant activity in surface winds that will stir up dust and sand, accompanied by a sharp and noticeable drop in temperatures, starting from Tuesday until the end of the week on Thursday.

Record low temperatures

According to the center's statement, minimum temperatures are expected to reach low levels, ranging between 2 degrees Celsius and -2 degrees Celsius in the northern regions, including Tabuk, Al-Jawf, the Northern Borders, Hail, and the northern part of the Madinah region. Other areas will also experience a significant drop, with minimum temperatures ranging between 4 degrees Celsius and 1 degree Celsius in Al-Qassim and the northern parts of the Eastern Province and Riyadh.

Wind activity and dust storms

A wave of active surface winds stirring up dust and sand will begin on Tuesday in the Al-Jawf and Northern Borders regions, gradually extending its effects from Tuesday evening through Wednesday to include the Hail, Al-Qassim, Riyadh, Eastern Province, and Najran regions. The center warned that the impact of these winds will reach the eastern parts of the Asir and Al-Baha regions on Wednesday and Thursday, in addition to the Makkah and Madinah regions, including their coastal areas, potentially reducing horizontal visibility.

The climatic context of winter in the Kingdom

These weather fluctuations are part of the typical winter weather patterns in the Arabian Peninsula, where the Kingdom is affected by cold air masses from the north, leading to a significant drop in temperatures, particularly in the northern and central regions. These periods are known locally as "Shabṭ" and "Al-Aqrab," and are characterized by intense cold. The wind activity accompanying these cold air masses also stirs up dust and sand, a common phenomenon in the Kingdom's desert environment.

Expected impacts and the importance of preparedness

This cold wave is expected to have multiple impacts on daily life. On the health front, those with respiratory illnesses and allergies are advised to take precautions and avoid direct exposure to dust. Health authorities also recommend wearing heavy winter clothing to prevent colds, especially for children and the elderly. Regarding road safety, reduced visibility due to dust requires drivers to be extra vigilant and reduce speed on highways. Air traffic at some regional airports may be slightly affected. Therefore, the National Center of Meteorology urges everyone to follow its weather updates and reports to take necessary precautions and ensure safety.