Winter sets in; more rains on the way

Wintry weather continues to hit the Kingdom with snow blanketing parts of Tabuk and medium to heavy rain falling over Makkah region.
On Friday, rain fell over many parts of Makkah region including its southern coasts and Al-Laith, Al-Shaqah and Alwasagh. Moderate rain showers also fell over Tarba, Maysam and Al-Sahan. More rain is expected to fall over the country this weekend.
The cooler weather and rain has encouraged many residents and citizens to head outdoors, particularly since it coincides with the weekend. Many families have gone to see the beautiful flowing waterfalls in the villages of Bani Malik, south of Taif.
Col. Saeed Sarhan, spokesman for the Makkah Civil Defense, warned people to be careful when heading out to risky areas. He said parents should not let their children play alone near ponds, swamps and dams.
Snow continued to fall for the second day in a row in Tabuk region, including Al-Zaher and Aleghan, lasting from 2 a.m. to sunrise, with temperatures falling below zero.
Col. Mamdouh bin Sulaiman Al-Anzi, media spokesman for the Civil Defense in Tabuk, warned of low visibility during the cold weather, particularly in snowstorms. He said there was also a danger of avalanches.
The Met Office said there were partly cloudy skies in the northern and southern parts of the Kingdom, and potentially more rainfall over Al-Wajeh, Tabuk, Tarif and Al-Qurayyat.
The report also predicted surface winds of 15 to 42 km/h on the Red Sea, causing higher than usual waves.