Saudi Arabia’s Turaif shivers at sub-zero low

A sharp cold wave swept across northern Saudi Arabia this week, pushing temperatures in the governorate of Turaif down to minus three degrees Celsius, the lowest recorded in the kingdom during the spell, according to official meteorological readings. The plunge underscored the severity of winter conditions gripping the Northern Borders Region, an area more accustomed to dry desert heat than sustained sub-zero nights.

Meteorological authorities said the temperature drop was driven by a mass of polar air moving southwards across the Arabian Peninsula, combined with clear skies and calm winds that allowed heat to escape rapidly after sunset. The Northern Borders Region, which includes Turaif and Arar, lies at a higher latitude and elevation than much of the country, making it more vulnerable to cold outbreaks when continental air systems descend from the north.

Residents in Turaif reported frost forming on vehicles and open ground during the early morning hours, while schools and municipal services issued advisories urging people to limit outdoor exposure during the coldest periods of the day. Local authorities activated winter contingency measures, including support for vulnerable groups such as outdoor workers and livestock owners, as temperatures remained near freezing for extended stretches.

Saudi Arabia’s National Center of Meteorology has, over the years, documented occasional winter cold snaps in the north, though sub-zero readings remain relatively infrequent compared with climates in Europe or Central Asia. Turaif, however, has repeatedly emerged as one of the coldest locations in the country during winter, owing to its proximity to the Jordanian border and its inland desert geography, which lacks the moderating influence of large bodies of water.

Climatologists note that such cold waves are typically associated with upper-level troughs that channel cold air southward from higher latitudes. When these systems coincide with high-pressure conditions at the surface, night-time cooling can intensify sharply. In desert environments, where humidity is low and cloud cover minimal, temperatures can fall rapidly after dusk, producing stark contrasts between daytime warmth and nocturnal chill.

The cold wave has had ripple effects beyond daily routines. Farmers in the Northern Borders Region took precautionary steps to protect crops and livestock, while transport authorities warned motorists of reduced visibility in some areas due to early morning fog and frost. Although snowfall is rare in Saudi Arabia, light flurries have been observed in elevated northern locations during particularly strong winter systems in past years, a reminder of the region’s climatic variability.

Energy consumption patterns also tend to shift during such episodes. Electricity demand in northern towns typically rises as households rely more heavily on heating appliances, a contrast to the summer months when air-conditioning drives peak loads across the kingdom. Officials have emphasised the importance of safe heating practices, especially in areas where residents may use portable heaters or open fires to combat the cold.

Weather specialists stress that while individual cold events do not, on their own, define long-term climate trends, they form part of a broader pattern of increasing weather variability observed across the Middle East. The region has experienced episodes of intense heat, unseasonal rainfall, and occasional cold extremes, prompting renewed focus on climate monitoring and early-warning systems. Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in expanding its meteorological infrastructure, including advanced forecasting models and satellite data integration, to improve preparedness for such fluctuations.