Snowfall and low temperatures expected in KSA's northern regions

Snow falls in the northern region of Tabuk in this January 2016 file photo. (SPA)
Updated 18 January 2018
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Snowfall and low temperatures expected in KSA's northern regions

TABUK, Saudi Arabia: The General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection has forecast that the northern regions of the Kingdom will witness snowfall on Thursday and Friday.

It also forecast temperatures to fall below zero in Tabuk region, with a 10 percent chance of rainfall.

Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesman for the authority, told the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) that a cold air front will push toward the northern areas on Thursday and Friday, and will continue until the middle of next week. This front is expected to cause snowfall particularly in the Northern Borders and Jawf regions, accompanied by very low temperatures, reaching -2°C.

The front will also cause sporadic rain on Friday morning and afternoon. Large areas of the Kingdom, including the northern regions, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, will experience dust storms which may reduce horizontal visibility to around 1,000 meters or less.


Saudi Red Crescent Authority to establish fund for emergency services

Updated 12 sec ago
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Saudi Red Crescent Authority to establish fund for emergency services

  • Strategic partnership aimed at supporting and sustaining medical services in the Kingdom through the establishment of an emergency fund
  • Initiative seeks to enhance the readiness of the medical system and raise the efficiency of responses to emergencies

RIYADH: The Saudi Red Crescent Authority has signed a cooperation agreement with the Health Endowment Fund to launch a strategic partnership aimed at supporting and sustaining medical services in the Kingdom through the establishment of an emergency fund.

The initiative seeks to enhance the readiness of the medical system and raise the efficiency of responses to emergencies, within a framework of institutional integration that aligns with goals to improve healthcare sector performance and save lives.

The agreement stipulates the establishment of a fund dedicated to financing emergency medical activities and services, and enabling the collection of endowment and non-endowment donations to support the work, in accordance with approved regulatory and Sharia frameworks. This will help boost the long-term operational readiness of emergency services.

The partnership aims to direct the fund’s returns toward supporting priority critical response programs and enhancing the efficiency of handling emergency cases, resulting in faster response times and improved service quality, ultimately contributing to saving lives.