Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH - Classes have been suspended on Monday in all Jeddah, Rabigh and Khulaiss schools in line with the directives of Director General of Education in Jeddah Governorate Abdullah Al-Thaqafi due to expected turbulent weather, according to a statement issued by Spokesman of the Education General Administration in Jeddah Humoud Al-Suqairan.

Jeddah, Umm Al-Qura and King Abdulaziz universities and all their branches, apart from Makkah Province schools, also announced the suspension of classes on Monday.

Jeddah University also announced the suspension of its classes on Monday.

Earlier, the General Authority of Meteorology and Environment Protection categorically denied social media rumors that Jeddah will experience rains on Tuesday.

“There is no truth to the WhatsApp voice message about heavy and thunderous rains in Jeddah and Makkah on Tuesday,” said Hussain Bin Mohammed Al-Qahtani, spokesman of the authority.

He said the voice message was old and was repeated to create panic and confusion among residents.

Qahtani asked citizens and expatriates to ignore all such rumors and avoid spreading them by sharing such content on social media.

“The authority’s forecast indicates that there will not be any rains in Jeddah or Makkah on Tuesday, but the area will be affected by surface winds that will kick-up dust,” the spokesman said.

He said many regions will be affected in the coming days by the atmospheric fluctuations including dust which will limit visibility to about one kilometer only.

“Atmospheric turbulences are expected to start by the end of the week and continue through the next week,” he added.

The spokesman expected heavy surface winds with speed of about 55 km on Monday and Tuesday during the daytime in Makkah province including the holy city, Jeddah, Laith and Rabigh.

He said sand storms are also expected in Madinah, Hail, Qasim, the Eastern Province and the northern areas of Riyadh.

Qahtani said there will be medium to heavy rains on Tuesday in the northern areas of Madinah region and Hafr Al-batin.

He also expected a drop in temperature in the northern and western areas of the Kingdom.