An Environmental Hazard Analysis of the Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Hail Events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Support Future Cloud Seeding Program Decision-Making

Hail events, though relative infrequent, pose substantial risks to agriculture, infrastructure, and property, even in arid and semi-arid regions like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study presents a comprehensive assessment of the spatial and temporal distribution of  hail activity across  KSA, based on observations from 24  ground-based meteorological stations, complemented by an analysis of radar reflectivity from a network of 13 weather radar stations operated  by the National Center of Meteorology.

The analysis revealed clear spatial variability in hail occurrence across the KSA. Higher hail frequencies are  observed in elevated regions, reflecting  the combined influence of topography,  enhanced convective initiation and orographic lifting. In contrast, lowland and coastal regions exhibited substantially lower hail frequencies. Radar-based analysis further support these spatial patterns.

In terms of temporal variability, hail activity in KSA showed a distinct seasonal concentrations with  peak occurrence during  periods characterized by increased atmospheric instability and favorable synoptic-scale conditions  conducive to deep convective storm development. This temporal concentration suggests opportunities for optimizing monitoring and short-term, targeted mitigation strategies.