Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases, wherever stated herein, shall have the meaning ascribed thereto: Unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases, wherever stated herein, shall have the meaning ascribed thereto:

• Law: The Meteorology Law, issued under Royal Decree No. (M/86) on 24/09/1442 AH.

• Regulations: Implementing Regulations of Meteorology Law

• Center: National Center for Meteorology

• Minister: Minister of Environment, Water & Agriculture, the chairperson of the Center's board of directors

• Person: Any natural or legal person.

• Supervising Authority: Any ministry or government authority delegated legally to supervise importing, installing, operating, re-locating, dealing with, calibrating, maintaining or exporting the meteorological stations or is concerned with issuing licenses to practice activities that are subject to the supervision thereof.

• Relevant Authority: Any ministry or government authority that benefits from the center services.

• Meteorology: The process of observation, monitoring or predicting the condition of weather, climate or marine and weather phenomena affecting the condition of the atmosphere.

• Atmosphere: A layer of gases that surrounds the earth due to gravity and extends from the Earth's surface to the external space.

• Weather: The weather condition in a certain site for a short time.

• Climate: The weather condition in a certain site for a long time.

• Long-Term Weather Forecast: Weather forecast from 30 days to two years.

• Short-Term Weather Forecast: Weather forecast from 12 hours to three (3) days.

• Meteorology Information: Reports, analyses, and forecasts of meteorology and any other data related to the prevailing or forecasted weather conditions.

• Meteorological services: Activities, outputs, and information on meteorology.

• License: A document issued by the center to the person to practice work or activity related to meteorology.

• The Licensed: Any person who obtains the license.

• Permit: A document issued by the center to the person before beginning the practice of work or any activity related to meteorology.

• The Authorized: Any person who obtains the authorization.

• Service Provider: The licensed person by the center to provide meteorological services.

• Meteorological stations: Each facility, equipment, or device used to perform any meteorological service.

• Installation: Assembling parts to each other to form one or more meteorological stations.

• Operation: Operations performed to observe the weather condition through the meteorological stations, including for example but not limited to, readings, data, analytics, forecasts, and other operations.

• Calibration: A checking process took place by a licensed person for the observation device using certain calibrations to assure the accurate reading of the device.

• Concession of the Meteorological Station: Ceding the meteorological station to another person to operate or dispose of it as waste.

• Sovereign Meteorological Services: Activities, outputs, and information on meteorology related to national security.

• Financial Consideration Document:  a document issued by the center that states how to calculate the financial consideration amount per service or license and the amount thereof and the mechanism of collection thereof as well as any related requirements by the provisions of the regulation.

• Inspectors: Employees who are determined by a resolution issued by the Minister to seize, investigate, and prove the violations of the law and regulations.

• Vital Facilities: Facilities in which ceasing work leads to disturbance in the daily life of the public or destabilizes the national security or basic services provided to citizens.

• Committee: The committee for considering the violations of the law and regulations' provisions.

• Violation: Any violation of the law and regulations' provisions.

• Seizure Report: The report prepared by the inspector, which includes data related to a violation.

The provisions of such regulations shall apply to all persons, meteorological services, and service providers of meteorology in the territory of the Kingdom and beneficiaries from such services.

The center shall perform tasks related to meteorology, including: 

• 1. Observe the condition of weather, climate, and components affecting them, observe marine and weather phenomena, and prepare short and long-term weather forecasts throughout the day. 

• 2. Provide meteorological services and determine the financial consideration for licenses benefiting from such services according to the financial consideration document. 

• 3. Prepare and review studies and reports related to its specialties. 

• 4. Analyze and exchange measures, data, and information related to weather, climate, and marine and weather phenomena with relevant authorities, make imitations and issue reports thereon.

• 5. Issue an early warning in respect of the weather and climate condition. 

• 6. Provide services for documenting data and reports related to specialties thereof. 

• 7. Use and encourage training programs in fields related to specialties thereof. 

• 8. Establish, operate, test, calibrate, and manage stations and networks of meteorology to collect and develop direct measurements, data, and information in respect of the weather, climate and marine and weather phenomena. 

• 9. Organize activities of guidance for meteorology, including conducting courses, seminars, and specialized work sessions related to specialties thereof. 

• 10. Identify the types of services provided thereby and the mechanism of providing them. 

• 11. Adopt rules, conditions, and controls related to the provided services. 

• 12. Adopt rules, conditions, and controls related to licenses and permits issued thereby and determine the financial consideration.

• 13. Issue and renew licenses and permits related to specialties thereof. 

• 14. Regulate rules and requirements for dealing with objections to the center's decisions in respect of the procedures of licenses and pits. 

• 15. Establish controls, requirements, and technical specifications for the meteorological stations to be licensed by the cent 

• 16. Classify types of meteorologieal services for service providers and issue updated lists for such classification.

• 17. Publish a list of licensed service providers and types of services provided thereby.

• 18. Inspect and supervise service providers in terms of theperformance level, quality of provided services, and the accuracy of studies and reports prepared thereby.

• 19. Inspect and seize violations of the regulations provisions and coordinate, as required, with the relevant authority in the Ministry of Interior in respect of detecting violators.

• 20. Decide on violations commited by violators against the Law and regulations.

1.Persons shall not be permitted to practice any work or activity related to meteorology without obtaining a license or permit from the center.

2.Operators of the meteorological stations and networks shall not be permitted to publish meteorology warnings not issued by the center.

3. Projects, whose engineering designs or economic feasibility studies are subject to the accuracy of results of meteorology studies or data (such as strategic projects, renewable energy projects, residential, industrial and mining complexes, developmental and agricultural projects, facilities, etc.), shall obtain such studies and data from the center or a service provider licensed by the center, including special projects assigned to real estate developers, companies, or specialized consulting institutions.

4. Providing the sovereign meteorological services shall be restricted to the center. Paragraph 3 of article 5 shall classify types of such services.

Sovereign meteorological services shall be classified according to the following types:

• a. Services of the meteorology data, images, reports, and forecast of weather and climate.

• b.Services of numerical models' data.

• c.Services of climate studies and reports.

• d.A service of meteorology warnings.

• e.A service of documenting data and reports.

• f.A service of consultancies, training and building capabilities in the meteorology industry.

• g.A service of installing, operating, re-locating, maintaining, and calibrating meteorological stations.

• h.Services of aerial and marine navigation.

• i. Services of importing meteorological stations

• j. Training for providing meteorlogical services.

2. The center has the right to add any  type of other meteorlogical services.

3. Sovereign mieteorological services shall be classified according to the following:

• a. Information that affects or causes ceasing the aerial or marine navigation. 

• b. information that affects military decisions 

• c. warnings of extreme weather changes that cause evacuating some regions or ceasing work and public activities.

First: General Provisions :

• 1. Every license or permit applicant shall apply to the center according to the model adopted by the center with data and documents determined by the center according to the type of application. 

• 2. The center shall issue its decision on applications for permits or licenses after fulfilling the financial consideration within 30 working days from the date of the application completion. The center has the right to extend the period not more than 10 additional working days. The decision shall include the following:

  • a. Adopt the application and issue the permit or license including the period, controls, and requirements of the permit or license.

  • b. Request that information is to be corrected or missed parts are to be completed. The center shall, within 30 working days from the date of completing the missed parts, issue the final decision thereof.

  • c.Refuse the application, provided that such refusal is reasoned.

• 3. Persons shall comply with the controls and requirements of the license or permit issued by the center.

• 4. It is prohibited to publish or sell data or information on the meteorology, specified by the center, without obtaining the center's approval or license.

• 5. Without prejudice to any more severe penalty and procedure stipulated in another law, the center has the right to cancel the permit or license, if found, at any time, that any documents or data provided by the authorized or the licensed are incorrect or forged. The authorized or the licensed has the right to complain according to the law.

Second: Licenses of Benefiting from Data and Information Provided by the Center:

• 1. The center shall issue licenses for benefiting from data and information on meteorology for persons wishing for obtaining data and information owned by the center.

• 2.Persons shall comply with controls and requirements of licenses of benefiting from data or information of meteorology issued by the center.

Third: Licenses and Permits for Establishing, Operating, Relocating or the Concession of the Meteorological stations or Networks:

• The provisions of such article shall apply to persons before beginning with establishing, operating, re-locating or the concession the meteorological stations or networks specified in Annex 1 of the regulations.

• 1. Persons shall not be permitted to establish or operate meteorological stations or networks without obtaining a license or permit frim the center. 

• 2. Persons shall obtain a permit from the center before begining with establishing or recolating the meteorlogical stations or networks.

• 3.Each applicant for a license to establish or re-locate a meteorological station or network shall provide an application to the center with technical reports specified by the center, including the following: 

  • a.Limits of the region included within the meteorology network.

  • b.A study on the region included within the meteorology network.

  • c.Specifications of equipment, devices, and applications to be used.

  • d. Plans that demonstrate sites of equipment and reasons of selecting the sites

  • e. Procedures assuring the quality assurance of meteorology and data processes.

  • f. The center has the right to request related additional data and documents

• 4.Persons shall comply with controls and requirements specified by the center in respect of specifying sites and specifications of the meteorological stations. 

• 5.Persons shall use a service provider licensed by the center to install and relocate the meteorological stations.

• 6. Persons shall obtain a license before beginning with operating the meteorological stations and networks.

• 7. Persons shall comply with controls and requirements specified by the center to operate the meteorological stations and networks.

• 8.Persons shall not be permitted to install and operate radars for observing the weather.

• 9. The licensed shall operate a meteorological station or network by providing the center with electronic data and reports, specified by the center, according to the license requirements. The center has the right to directly connect to the station and take data directly therefrom in line with the purpose of licensing. 

• 10. The licensed shall comply with controls and requirements specified by the center in respect of the periodic maintenance and calibration for stations and the same shall be performed by a service provider licensed by the center.

• 11. The licensed shall keep observed data and quality assurance documents for technical data and analyses for 10 years at least or as specified by the center.

• 12. Persons shall not be permitted to make the concessions of the meteorological stations or networks without obtaining the center's approval in accordance with the mechanism specified thereby.

• 13.Persons shall not be permitted to operate the conceded meteorological stations or networks without obtaining the center's license to operate them.

Fourth: License of Meteorological Service Providers;

• 1. According to the classification specified in clauses 1 and 2 of article 5 of the regulations, meteorological service providers shall obtain a license from the center before beginning the activity.

• 2. Each applicant for the license shall apply for the center according to the model adopted by the center with data and documents specified thereby.

• 3. The applicant for license shall provide a technical report about the required activity, including estimated costs, technical cadres, equipment, and detailed specifications thereof.

• 4. The center has the right to request related additional data and documents.

• 5. Without prejudice to any more severe penalty and of any procedure stipulated in other law, the center has the right to cancel the license, if found, at any time, that any documents or data provided by the licensed are incorrect or forged. 

• 6. The center has the right to adopt additional procedures in accordance with controls and procedures specified thereby.

• 7.The center shall establish a record to register the licensed service providers and publish it on the website thereof.

• 8. The meteorological service providers shall be subject to the center's observation and assessment, including checking and assessing the correctness and accuracy of studies, reports, researches, prepared data, the quality of services provided, and the meteorology devices and supplies' conformity to controls and requirements of the license and center. To perform such tasks, the center shall be entitled to:

  • a.Count the records and documents of service providers.

  • b.Obtain data considered necessary by the center to assess the performance.

  • c. Carry out other related procedures considered necessary by the center to activate the observation and assessment of the service providers' performance.

9.The service provider, representatives, or agents thereof shall be legally responsible for the correctness and quality of provided services and any damage arising out from services and resultant compensation without prejudice to the seizure of violations and imposing penalties.

1. Pursuant to the provisions of regulations thereof and under the financial consideration document, the center shall determine the amount and mechanism of calculating the financial consideration of services provided thereby and licenses and permits issued thereby and any relevant requirements.

2. The center has the right to partially or totally relieve any person of financial consideration after obtaining the approval of the board of directors thereof.

First: Types of Inspections

• 1. Periodic Inspection : it is performed according to the annual plans of inspection to verify compliance with the law regulations, and requirments of licenses and permits 

• 2. Inspection to Validate Reports and Data: It is made to validate the information provided.

• 3. Inspection upon Receiving Complaints or Notifications: It is made after receiving complaints or notifications to the center and based on what the center decides that complaints or notifications are required to be inspected.

• 4. Inspection Assigned to Specialized Companies: Tasks of inspection and detection of violations of administrative nature assigned thereto by the Minister in accordance with paragraph 5 of article 11 of the law.

• 5. Inspection Assigned to Specialized Companies: Tasks of inspection and detection of violations of administrative nature assigned thereto by the Minister in accordance with paragraph 5 of article 11 of the law.

Second: Appointment of Inspectors

• 1.Under the Minister's resolution, inspectors who detect violations of the law and regulations' provisions shall be determined.

• 2.The center shall issue a proof of identification for an inspector, who shall show it upon practicing the work thereof.

Third: Roles and Powers of Inspectors

• 1. The inspector shall make an inspection, including:

  • a. Accessing to premises, facilities, meteorological stations, and networks and any activity that is subject to the law provisions and regulations thereof.

  • b. Take cognizance of documents, records, data, information, licenses, and any document related to the inspection. 

  • c. Take any image related to the inspection for documentation in line with the safety requirements and security precautions of facilities that are subject to the inspection.

  • d.Perform operations required by the inspection in respect of checking, measuring, testing, or calibrating, etc., in accordance with instructions, mechanisms, and models made by the center. 

  • e.Investigate and detect violations against the law and the regulations, and take the required actions thereon in accordance with the regulations' provisions.

  • f. Demonstrate the found violations, if there are any, against the law and regulations during the inspection.

• 2.An inspector shall document the results of the initial inspection operation and provide the persons' representatives with a copy to take the corrective actions required for any violations detected.

Fourth: Cooperating with the Supervising Authorities :

• 1. For inspecting the vital and important facilities, the supervising authorities shall be coordinated before operations that can accessed thereto only in accordance with specified security procedures.

• 2. Coordination with the supervising authority shall include providing it with clarifying information, including the purpose of the inspection, names and IDs of inspectors, date and time of inspection, information and data required to be provided during the inspection, and any other information considered by the center.

Fifth: Prohibited Acts :

• All persons shall be prohibited to perform any of the following:

  • 1.Prevent inspectors from making inspections or accessing sites without a reason accepted by the center.

  • 2.Not permit inspectors to take cognizance of records and data and document information related to the purpose of inspection.

  • 3.Inspectors are not permitted to take pictures of documentation in line with the safety requirements and security precautions.

  • 4. Inspectors are not permitted to take measurements or samples from materials and items in line with the approved requirements and standards of safety.

  • 5. Not prepare and implement work plans to apply the corrective actions according to paragraph "Third" of article 9.

  • 6. Include incorrect information, data, or results in reports provided to the center. 7.Manipulate the meteorology devices to change data or results.