Storm Brings Dust, Rain, Floods to Saudi and Kuwait

  • Publish date: Tuesday، 06 May 2025 Reading time: two min read
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A powerful dust storm swept across Saudi Arabia and Kuwait over the weekend, triggering flash floods, grounding flights, and forcing authorities to issue red alerts in multiple regions.

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Wall of Dust Turns Skies Orange in Saudi Arabia

In central Saudi Arabia, residents of Al Qassim province were hit by a dramatic “wall of dust” on Sunday. The massive storm turned the sky a deep orange and slashed visibility to nearly zero, prompting widespread travel warnings.

Meteorologist Abdullah Al Misnad explained that the storm was caused by downdrafts from towering cumulonimbus clouds, a weather event known as a gravity-driven haboob. These powerful dust walls can reach heights of 2,000 meters and carry winds up to 100 km/h.

The National Center for Meteorology issued red alerts for Riyadh, the Eastern Province, and three other regions, warning of more dust, heavy rainfall, hail, and possible flooding in the coming days.

Authorities urged people to stay indoors, avoid open areas, and limit driving, especially on highways.

Violent Winds and Zero Visibility in Kuwait

Kuwait also saw wild weather, with violent winds and thick dust clouds disrupting daily life. Wind gusts reportedly reached 100 km/h, temporarily suspending flights and shutting down key ports in Shuwaikh and Shuaiba.

Two incoming flights from Egypt were diverted to Dammam, Saudi Arabia, due to near-zero visibility.

Kuwaiti weather officials say the country is currently in its “Sarayat” season, a brief but intense transitional weather period known for unpredictable thunderstorms and dust storms. Satellite data shows that scattered rain and unstable weather could continue through midweek.

The Interior Ministry issued public safety alerts urging drivers to slow down, keep distance, and pull over if visibility drops too low.

This article was previously published on saudimoments. To see the original article, click here

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