Riyadh, May 7 -- A climate scientist who works as an advisor for Saudi Arabia's NEOM megacity project has warned that its construction could disrupt local weather patterns, including wind flow and sandstorm trajectories.

NEOM is Kingdom's ambitious USD 500 billion megaproject, envisioned as a futuristic, sustainable region in the Tabuk Province. It features The Line (a linear smart city), Oxagon (an industrial hub), Trojena (a mountain resort with year-round skiing), and Sindalah (a luxury tourism island), all designed to run on renewable energy.

Donald Wuebbles, a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois and a paid NEOM adviser, told the Financial Times he had repeatedly raised environmental concerns with the pro...