Cold Wave Hits Gulf Countries, Temperatures Reach Freezing Point

The strongest cold wave ever recorded in Saudi Arabia lasted for seven consecutive days (SPA)
The strongest cold wave ever recorded in Saudi Arabia lasted for seven consecutive days (SPA)
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Cold Wave Hits Gulf Countries, Temperatures Reach Freezing Point

The strongest cold wave ever recorded in Saudi Arabia lasted for seven consecutive days (SPA)
The strongest cold wave ever recorded in Saudi Arabia lasted for seven consecutive days (SPA)

A cold wave is affecting the Gulf countries, bringing temperatures close to freezing in several areas, with frost expected in some regions.

Hussein Al-Qahtani, spokesperson for the Saudi National Center for Meteorology (NCM) said the winter weather report shows a generally mild season, despite temperatures dropping to as low as minus 3°C in some places.

“We are nearing the end of the first quarter of winter, and cold waves usually come from the north, with the northern regions of Saudi Arabia being the first to feel the impact,” said Al-Qahtani.

“Cities like Al-Qurayyat, Turaif, Sakaka, and the northern border areas are the coldest, followed by the eastern and central regions,” he added.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Qahtani said there are two months of winter remaining, with cold waves expected to bring rain to northern, western, and central Saudi Arabia, ranging from moderate to heavy.

He also mentioned that while there is a chance of snowfall on Mount Al-Lawz in the Tabuk region, it is not very likely. The NCM is closely monitoring the situation and will issue warnings if necessary.

He added that snowfall in neighboring northern countries could affect northern Saudi areas, particularly the Tabuk highlands.

On Thursday, the NCM shared details of the strongest cold wave in Saudi Arabia’s history, which occurred 33 years ago. In January 1992, the Hail station recorded a low of minus 9.3°C, with the cold wave lasting seven days.

Al-Qahtani said a repeat of the 1992 cold wave is unlikely this season. He noted that while temperatures may drop to minus 3°C, this winter is expected to be milder overall, and such low temperatures are not expected to last as long as the seven days in 1992.



Chinese Marriages Slid by a Fifth in 2024, Fanning Birthrate Concerns

A woman (L) and a girl pose for a picture in Beijing on February 9, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP)
A woman (L) and a girl pose for a picture in Beijing on February 9, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP)
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Chinese Marriages Slid by a Fifth in 2024, Fanning Birthrate Concerns

A woman (L) and a girl pose for a picture in Beijing on February 9, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP)
A woman (L) and a girl pose for a picture in Beijing on February 9, 2025. (Photo by Pedro PARDO / AFP)

Marriages in China dropped by a fifth last year, the biggest drop on record, despite manifold efforts by authorities to encourage young couples to wed and have children to boost the country's declining population.
More than 6.1 million couples registered for marriage last year, down from 7.68 million a year earlier, figures from the Ministry of Civil Affairs showed, according to Reuters.
Declining interest in getting married and starting a family has long been blamed on the high cost of childcare and education in China. On top of that, sputtering economic growth over the past few years has made it difficult for university graduates to find work and those that do have jobs feel insecure about their long-term prospects.
But for Chinese authorities, boosting interest in marriage and baby-making is a pressing concern.
China has the second-biggest population in the world at 1.4 billion but it is aging quickly.
The birth rate fell for decades due to China's 1980-2015 one-child policy and rapid urbanization. And in the coming decade, roughly 300 million Chinese - the equivalent of almost the entire US population - are expected to enter retirement.
Measures taken last year by authorities to tackle the problem included urging China's colleges and universities to provide "love education" to emphasize positive views on marriage, love, fertility and family.
And in November, China's state council or cabinet, told local governments to direct resources towards fixing China's population crisis and spread respect for childbearing and marriages "at the right age."
Last year saw a slight rise in births after a lull due to the pandemic and because 2024 was the Chinese zodiac year of the dragon - with children born that year considered likely to be ambitious and have great fortune.
But even with the increase in births, the country's population fell for a third consecutive year.
The data also showed that more than 2.6 million couples filed for divorce last year, up 1.1% from 2023.