JEDDAH: Students expressed joy as the Education Department in Jeddah ordered schools to close on Tuesday because of the threat of heavy rain forecast by the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME).

Abdul Majeed Al-Ghamdi, spokesman of the department, said Monday schools would have to close in Jeddah, Rabigh and Khalis. He said the decision was taken as a result of reports from the PME, to ensure the safety of students.

A cold wave is expected to hit the Kingdom over the next few days, resulting in a steep drop in temperature, rain and unstable weather conditions, said weather researcher Mohammed Al-Ghamdi.

The affected areas would be in the northern part of the country and along the coast, including Tabuk, Al-Qurayyat, Al-Jouf, the Northern Border area, Hail, Madinah, Makkah and the coastal areas from Haql to Rabigh, said Al-Ghamdi.

Other affected areas include Qunfudah, Riyadh, Al-Dawadmi, Afif, Qassim, the Northern Borders Province, parts of the Eastern Province, and the southwestern mountains and coastal areas.