The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) on Wednesday said reports in a section of the press forecasting higher temperatures in some regions during the coming months are inaccurate. Last week, media reports quoted researchers as saying that there are prospects of high temperatures in some areas, especially in the central and eastern regions to rise to 60 degrees centigrade. In its statement, the PME referred to meteorological studies and statistics of the climatic records of 1970 to 2009. “There is no indication whatsoever for the Saudi regions in general and the areas specifically mentioned in this context, to be affected by temperatures higher than the rate recorded over the past years,” the statement said. “The highest temperatures recorded in some of the governorates in the eastern region were 50 to 51 degrees in 2000 and 49 degrees in Riyadh, 50 degrees recorded in Makkah in 1989 and 50 degrees in Madinah in 1973,” the statement said. The PME pointed out that the air temperatures are recorded in the shade according to measurements of the World Meteorological Organization, and “this is the temperature that is usually announced in the bulletins of local and global observations through various media organs.” The PME also urged all citizens and media organs to refer to the PME specialists for reliable information.
