Saudi Civil Defense Issues Red Alerts in 7 Regions for 5-Day Storm

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RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense authority on 10 November 2026 issued red alerts — the highest tier of the national early warning system — across parts of seven regions as a multi-day storm system brought heavy rainfall, hail, and winds above 60 km/h to the Kingdom, according to Saudi Gazette. The affected regions are Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Asir, Jazan, Hail, and Qassim.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) forecast the severe weather to persist from 10 November through Saturday 14 November, with preliminary indications that rain could extend into the following week, Gulf News reported. The storms arrive as the 1448 AH Umrah season has drawn 931,500 visa arrivals in its opening weeks — a 22.5 percent year-on-year surge, according to Siasat — with Makkah and Madinah both under severe weather warnings while hundreds of thousands of pilgrims are present in the two holy cities.

What Areas Are Under Red Alert?

Civil Defense raised Makkah city and the governorate of Al-Jumum to red alert on 10 November, warning of heavy rain, strong winds, severely reduced visibility, hail, flash flooding, and thunderstorms until 9 p.m. local time, Ajel English reported. Red is described as the top level of the NCM’s automated early warning system and carries the most restrictive guidance for residents and visitors.

The broader alert extends across a wide belt of the Kingdom, from the north-central plateau to the Hejaz coast and the southwestern highlands, according to Saudi Gazette via PressBee. Hail warnings were issued for an even wider area, reaching into the Eastern Province, Gulf News reported.

The NCM also flagged possible funnel clouds or waterspouts in coastal areas and forecast high waves along the coastline, Gulf News reported. Humidity levels on 10 November reached 95 percent in Riyadh, Dammam, Abha, and Buraidah, according to Saudi Gazette via PressBee, indicating the atmosphere was heavily saturated ahead of mid-week rainfall.

The 10 November alerts represent the latest in a series of severe weather events. An earlier wave of the same system was active from 6 to 10 November, Gulf News reported. A separate red alert had been issued for Makkah on 29 October covering hail and flash floods in seven governorates including Al-Jumum, according to Saudi Times. On 20 October, a flash flood in Makkah killed one child, left another missing, and led to one rescue, Saudi Gazette reported.

NCM Forecasts Storms, Hail, and Downdraft Winds Through November 14

The NCM’s five-day forecast for the 10–14 November period calls for heavy thunderstorms and strong downdraft winds of 60 km/h or more that may stir up dust and sand across multiple regions, Gulf News reported. Downdraft winds — cold air forced rapidly to the ground during thunderstorms — can reduce visibility to near zero and create sudden hazardous conditions for motorists far from the rain itself.

The hail component of the forecast spans Makkah, Riyadh, Jazan, Asir, and the Eastern Province, Gulf News reported. Hailstones during Saudi thunderstorms can damage vehicles, shatter greenhouse panels on farms, and injure people caught outdoors. Combined with high winds and heavy rain, hail raises the overall threat level across both urban and agricultural zones.

Civil Defense urged residents on its official account to “take maximum precautions” and avoid areas where water collects, valleys, and dams, according to Ajel English and PressBee. The authority also warned motorists not to cross flowing wadis during storm conditions, Siasat and Saudi Times reported.

The NCM said preliminary indications suggest rain could extend beyond 14 November into the following week, though formal alert levels for that extended period have not yet been issued, Gulf News reported. Residents and visitors in the affected regions may face unsettled weather for more than a week if the system persists as projected.

Schools Shift Online as Red Crescent Deploys in Madinah

The Riyadh Education Directorate announced on 10 November that 12 outer governorates would shift to remote learning via the Madrasati online platform, citing NCM weather reports, See News reported. The directorate said the move was taken “to ensure everyone’s safety.”

The 12 governorates switched to distance learning are Dawadmi, Al-Quwayiyah, Afif, Zulfi, Al-Ghat, Al-Majma’ah, Shaqra, Thadiq, Huraymila, Rumah, Dhurma, and Marat. All sit on Riyadh region’s outer belt, where wadi drainage from higher ground flows through rural and semi-urban areas before reaching the capital’s core. Schools in the central Riyadh metropolitan area were not included in the shift, indicating the directorate assessed the highest risk to be in outlying zones with greater exposure to wadi flooding.

In Madinah, the Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) deployed 70 ambulance teams and support vehicles on 7 November to strengthen emergency response during the preceding wave of storms, Siasat reported. The deployment covered Madinah city and surrounding governorates in preparation for heavier rainfall expected later in the week.

No storm-related fatalities have been confirmed in connection with the November 10–14 weather system as of 11 November.

How Does the Storm Affect Umrah Pilgrims?

The simultaneous weather alerts for Makkah and Madinah during the Umrah season place a large transient population in the storm system’s path. Many Umrah pilgrims are visiting Saudi Arabia for the first time and may be unfamiliar with flash-flood behavior in wadi terrain, where dry channels can fill within minutes during heavy rain.

Travelers monitoring Saudi Arabia’s current travel conditions should check the NCM’s alert system and follow guidance issued by Civil Defense, particularly around the Haram areas in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

No weather-related flight disruptions at King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh, King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, or Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah have been reported for the 10–14 November period, according to Timeout Dubai. Existing flight cancellations at Saudi airports during this window are attributed to security-related NOTAMs, not weather.

The sharp increase in Umrah arrivals this season means any weather disruption in the Hejaz carries a wider impact than during off-season months, when the cities’ visitor populations are smaller and hospitality infrastructure operates below capacity.

Rescuers Pull Elderly Couple From Flooded Wadi Near Madinah

On 7 November, an elderly couple were trapped in their vehicle by floodwaters at Wadi Al Wasitah in Badr governorate, west of Madinah, Gulf News and Arab News reported. Rising water surrounded the vehicle and prevented the occupants from exiting on their own.

A group of young Saudis including Tariq Marghalani reached the stranded vehicle and used ropes and harnesses to pull both occupants to safety. Neither the man nor the woman was injured, according to Gulf News.

The rescue occurred during the earlier wave of the same storm system. Wadi Al Wasitah runs through Badr governorate, one of several wadis across the western Hejaz that can turn from dry beds to fast-moving channels with little warning when rain falls upstream. Water draining through these valleys carries debris, rocks, and sediment, compounding the danger for vehicles caught midstream. Civil Defense has repeatedly warned drivers to stay clear of wadis during storm conditions.

The incident illustrates a pattern across Saudi Arabia’s arid regions: motorists enter wadis that appear passable and are overtaken by floodwater that rises faster than expected. Each major storm season produces similar rescues — and, at times, fatalities.

What Has Saudi Arabia Invested in Flood Prevention?

The deadliest modern precedent for Saudi flash flooding is Jeddah’s November 2009 disaster, when more than 100 people were killed after a heavy downpour overwhelmed a drainage system that covered only about 30 percent of the city, the Christian Science Monitor reported. A second flood struck Jeddah in January 2011, killing at least 10 people, according to CNN.

Those two disasters triggered the Jeddah Stormwater Drainage Programme (JSDP). Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom has allocated approximately $3.2 billion for Jeddah flood mitigation, including about $1 billion for permanent flood defenses, according to MEED. The programme represents one of the largest single-city flood infrastructure investments in the Middle East.

The national effort extends well beyond Jeddah. Saudi Arabia now operates 574 flood-protection dams across the country, according to a KAUST Climate Futures Report. Riyadh alone has experienced more than 10 floods in the past 30 years, the same report found. The dams serve a dual purpose: capturing runoff for groundwater recharge and preventing downstream urban areas from bearing the full force of wadi floods during storms like the current system.

The infrastructure has faced repeated tests. In November 2022, Jeddah received 179 mm of rain in approximately six hours — more than three times the city’s annual average of 55.6 mm — killing at least two people and forcing schools and universities to close, according to Saudi NCM and FloodList. That downpour came about four years before the November 2026 storm system now moving through the Kingdom.

Background

Saudi Arabia’s terrain — flat desert punctuated by steep wadi channels and expanding urban areas — makes flash flooding a recurring hazard despite the Kingdom’s arid reputation. Rainfall arrives in short, intense bursts concentrated between October and April. When heavy rain falls on dry, compacted ground with limited absorption capacity, water drains rapidly into wadis and low-lying urban areas, turning dry valleys into fast-moving channels.

Rapid urbanization in recent decades has extended built-up areas into historical wadi floodplains across the Kingdom. Roads, parking lots, and building foundations replace desert ground that once absorbed a portion of rainfall, increasing the volume and speed of runoff that funnels into drainage systems and wadi channels. The combination makes cities more vulnerable during heavy rain than they were a generation ago, even as flood-protection infrastructure expands.

The NCM operates a four-tier color-coded alert system — green, yellow, orange, and red — through an automated platform. Red alerts carry the highest level of urgency and trigger the strongest precautionary guidance from Civil Defense, including directives to avoid wadis, valleys, and areas where water collects.

The November 2026 system is the latest in a series of severe weather events to trigger red-level alerts for the Makkah region since late October. The recurring pattern of severe weather has tested both the NCM’s early warning infrastructure and Civil Defense’s emergency response capacity during a period when Umrah pilgrim traffic is near seasonal peaks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has the Grand Mosque in Makkah faced rain emergencies before?

In April 2023, heavy rain fell during Ramadan while large crowds were present at the Grand Mosque. The General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques activated its emergency plans, deploying more than 200 supervisors and 4,000 workers to manage the situation, Asharq Al-Awsat reported. No General Presidency statement has been issued for the November 2026 storm system.

How much of the area near Makkah is at risk of flash floods?

A study published in the Journal of King Saud University – Science (JKSUS) found that 44 percent of the Wadi Mehassar area east of Makkah is liable to flash flooding. The finding reflects the geography of the Hejaz region, where wadi systems channel rainfall from higher ground toward the populated lowlands around the holy city.

Could Saudi Arabia face more severe storms in the future?

Under a high-emissions scenario, a KAUST Climate Futures Report projects a 33 percent increase in rainfall across Saudi Arabia by 2100. If that projection holds, the frequency and intensity of flash-flood events across the Kingdom’s wadi systems are likely to rise in the decades ahead.

What is the fine for driving through a flooded wadi in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Civil Defense can fine motorists up to SAR 10,000 for crossing a flowing wadi, according to Siasat and Saudi Times. The penalty is intended to deter drivers from entering flood-prone valleys during storms, when water levels can rise rapidly and without warning.