Saudi Gazette report JEDDAH — Reports in local newspapers and on some websites that temperatures in the coming months would touch 70 degrees Celsius are baseless and unfounded, the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) said in a statement Monday. “What has been reported in the media are just statements by non-specialists in meteorology. They do not conform with reality, meteorological information, warning systems and world alerts in this regard," the presidency said. It explained that climatic reports indicate that most of the temperatures in this summer season in the Kingdom's regions will range from 44-49°C degrees, while in Ahsa, Hafr Al-Batin and Jeddah, temperatures of 51-52° C were recorded in the month of June, 2010. It said that any exaggeration in this regard has a negative impact on individuals and communities, especially since the holy month of Ramadan is just a few weeks away. Last week local newspapers quoted Dr. Khalid Al-Zaaq, Saudi astronomer from the Arab Federation for Space Science, as saying that temperatures in Saudi Arabia could hit an excruciating 70° Celsius over the next two months. Al-Zaaq said this summer is expected to be exceedingly hot in the Kingdom over the next 60 days, with temperatures reaching 70° C under direct sunlight and 50° C in the shade. Temperatures can reach 70° C in open and desert areas as well as mountainous terrain, according to the report. The Kingdom, the PME said, applies international specifications and conditions set by the World Meteorological Organization and the weather records are measured under specific conditions such as surface temperature and wind speed to maintain consistency. In its recent weather report, the PME indicated that the climatic characteristics for the summer season in the Kingdom started in the Northern Hemisphere from June 21 to continue till Sept. 22 when depression over the Arabian Peninsula merges with the Indian monsoon season which extends north and west of the Kingdom and east of the Mediterranean Sea. It said one of the characteristics of this depression is that the temperature of its air mass is hot and dry which will be reflected on the temperature registered during summer in the Kingdom where the maximum temperature ranges between 44°-49° Celsius. The temperature may exceed that range especially in the east and west of the Kingdom, the PME said.
