Winter Season Begins In Saudi Arabia: 89 Days Of Cold Weather Ahead
Saudi Arabia welcomes the onset of winter on Saturday, as announced by the Jeddah Astronomical Society, initiating a season that spans roughly 89 days. This seasonal shift is marked by the winter solstice, which occurred at 12:20 pm Makkah time on Saturday, Dec. 21, designating it as the day with the shortest daylight and longest night in the Northern Hemisphere. On this day, the sun’s direct rays fall over the Tropic of Capricorn, heralding winter's start in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, Saudi Gazette reported.
Majed Abu Zahra, head of the Jeddah Astronomical Society, explains the winter solstice phenomenon is a result of the Earth's 23.5-degree axial tilt and its orbital path around the sun. This axial tilt leads to a swap in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres regarding sunlight reception, attributing the occurrence of the four seasons to the Earth's tilt rather than the distance from the sun.
During the winter solstice, the Northern Hemisphere leans away from the sun, resulting in shorter days, while the Southern Hemisphere experiences longer daylight hours. The North Pole's tilt away from the sun means that all regions above the equator witness less than 12 hours of daylight, whereas those below enjoy longer days.
The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) forecasts a significant drop in temperatures across northern Saudi Arabia, affecting Tabuk, Al-Jouf, and Hail from Sunday to Tuesday. The cold air mass moving into these areas is anticipated to bring minimum temperatures down to between zero and 4 degrees below zero.
Additionally, from Saturday, a decrease in temperatures is expected in the same regions along with Tabuk, Al-Jouf, the Northern Borders, Hail, and Al-Qassim. This weather change is accompanied by active surface winds that will likely kick up dust and dirt across Riyadh and the Eastern Province, stretching to parts of the Najran region and affecting areas in the Makkah and Madinah regions as well.
Furthermore, the NCM indicates that the weather will not only be colder but also partly cloudy to cloudy in certain areas, with chances of light rain and fog. These conditions are expected in parts of the Jazan, Asir, and Al-Baha regions, adding a damp aspect to the cold weather sweeping across the country.
Abu Zahra further elaborated on the shifts in daylight, emphasizing that the winter solstice is defined by the sun reaching its southernmost point in the sky. This celestial event underlines the stark contrast in day lengths across the globe - regions north of the equator experience their shortest day of the year, while those to the south enjoy prolonged daylight.
As Saudi Arabia embraces the winter season, the nation anticipates its climatic impact, from dropping temperatures to potential rain and fog in various regions. This period remains a compelling demonstration of the Earth's intricate axial and orbital dynamics, profoundly influencing the seasonal weather patterns observed across the globe.
The winter season in Saudi Arabia, ushered in by the winter solstice, brings a mix of colder temperatures, changing daylight hours, and potential precipitation, illustrating the complex interplay between the Earth's tilt, its orbit around the sun, and the resulting meteorological effects.
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