Lightning strikes Clock Tower in Makkah, heavy rain brings down temperature

A rare video was captured from the heights of the mountains of Makkah of lightning hitting the Clock Tower on Tuesday at 8pm.

Social media users have been sharing photos and videos of the rare scene.

The video showed a thick streak of lightning hitting the top of the Clock Tower and light up the sky for a good 4 seconds.

Heavy rain brought relief to the faithful at the Grand Mosque.

A video clip showed gust winds toppling barriers and cleaners on the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

The National Centre of Meteorology in Saudi Arabia announced that cumulus thunderclouds will be over the regions of Asir, Jazan, Al-Baha, and Makkah, and will move towards the west, with expectations of moderate to heavy rain with hail and the risk of torrential rain, and strong winds.

Local media stated that heavy rain fell in different areas of Makkah.

The authorities expressed that this rain would be a watering of mercy and blessings upon the faithful as temperatures across the regions were rising.

The Arab Weather website for weather forecasts stated that the southwestern and western regions of the Kingdom witnessed remarkable weather activity during the past week, which led to rain of varying intensity.

The media reported that Makkah, including the Holy sites, were directly affected by this weather, and witnessed thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.