Saudi Arabia’s National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has warned that temperatures in Mina, the sprawling tent city hosting millions of Haj pilgrims, are expected to soar to 45 degrees Celsius on the Day of Tarwiyah, prompting authorities to urge pilgrims to take precautionary measures and avoid direct exposure to the sun.
According to the NCM, the minimum temperature is expected to remain around 28 degrees Celsius, while active northwesterly to northerly winds may reach speeds of up to 35 kmph, accompanied by dusty conditions and partly cloudy skies.
The meteorological authority said eight monitoring stations have been deployed to closely track severe weather conditions during the pilgrimage. The center is operating an integrated monitoring system supported by advanced technologies and trained Saudi personnel to provide real-time weather updates and alerts to relevant authorities.
As part of its preparedness measures, the NCM said it will issue 24 hourly weather bulletins and eight synoptic reports during the Day of Tarwiyah. Special warnings and automated alerts will also be issued whenever necessary through the early warning system.
The monitoring network in Mina includes both manned and automatic weather stations, in addition to four mobile automatic monitoring units aimed at enhancing weather surveillance across the holy sites.
The center has also launched multilingual awareness campaigns in five languages to educate pilgrims and field workers about weather changes and heat safety measures during the Haj rituals.
Authorities have advised pilgrims to stay hydrated, use umbrellas, avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, and follow official health and safety guidelines amid the extreme heat conditions.
