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designated as the central agency responsible for environmen-
tal protection, including the response to pollution of all kinds
and the establishment of the different environmental standards
with this remit. This mandate was established by Royal Decree
on 24.4.1401 H, (28.2.1981 G), in accordance with the recom-
mendations of the High Committee tasked with a national
administrative review. The title of the organization was changed
to Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration
(MEPA). In 2002 G, the status of MEPA was raised again, this
time to the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME)
led by HRH Prince Turki bin Nassir bin Abdulaziz. PME oper-
ates a network of meteorological stations throughout the
Kingdom, from which climatic data are extracted.
timings are based on centuries of observation of climatic condi-
tions in the region.
Optimization of seasonal migrations is now possible using
more solid short-term climatic and weather data, such as are
commonly available through the local meteorological agency
(Presidency of Meteorology and Environment) and interna-
tional agencies, such as World Meteorological Organization
(WMO) and adjuncts. Such information, if disseminated prop-
erly, would assist the cultural usages of the desert which still
remain key activities for the Saudi population in general.
The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment
As Saudi Arabia developed from a nomadic culture to a more
modern urban culture, and especially with the introduction of
air transport, the need arose for a local meteorological service.
Accordingly, in the year 1370 Hijrah (H) or 1951 Gregorian
(G), the Department of Meteorology was established within
the Civil Aviation Directorate.
Further growth in demand for meteorological services from
a diversity of users increased requirements for climatologi-
cal and operational information in the fields of planning,
industry, agriculture, transport and various other activities.
A separate directorate with its own technical and adminis-
trative staff was established based on a Royal Decree
establishing a General Directorate of Meteorology issued on
1.7.1386 H (15.10.1966 G). The directorate was directly
related to the Ministry of Defence and Civil Aviation, but with
its own budget.
During the following two decades, as the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia witnessed rapid development in economic and indus-
trials sectors, the General Directorate of Meteorology was
NASA Goddard satellite image from May 2001 of a large-scale sand storm (natural disaster) over the Arabian Peninsula
Meteorological stations for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia