Summer is drawing to a close in Saudi Arabia, with only three days remaining, analysts at National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) have said. Forecaster Aqeel Al Aqeel said temperatures would begin to ease after a blistering summer in which the mercury hit 51°C. Heavy rain, dust storms and strong winds are forecast over the next few days in Makkah, Madinah and southern regions of the kingdom. Heavy rain was accompanied by thunderstorms in Makkah in the past few days, the Saudi Press Agency reported, with heavy flooding caused by rain in Jeddah. Pilgrims struggled to circle the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Makkah due to strong winds, with people having to dodge separation barriers that were blown around. Footage was widely shared on social media. One video capturing lightning striking the famous clock tower overlooking the Kaaba went viral on social media. Last week, a hailstorm in Asir region was regarded as a sign that cooler weather would arrive soon after temperatures exceeding 50°C. Torrential rain also hit the Lajb valley in Jizan, with tourists taking to social media to upload videos of the downpour. According to the EU climate observatory, July was the planet's hottest month on record.