E-Paper
Sand dunes turn into snow skiing spots. Why is it snowing in Saudi Arabia?
The unusual weather prompted people to step out and enjoy the snow in the desert country which is known for its scorching weather.
In a rare weather event, Saudi Arabia's northern parts reportedly witnessed an unexpected snowfall last Thursday. Snowfall in the desert nation, which is associated with scorching heat and arid deserts, was reported from the mountain areas of Tabuk and Hail, particularly around Jabal Al Lawz near the Jordanian border, according to news outlets such as Al Jazeera and the Gulf Times.
The unusual weather prompted people to step out and enjoy the snow in the desert country which is known for its scorching weather and not for its snowy landscapes.
Several people shared videos of the snow on social media showing people dancing to traditional music and spending time with friends and families to enjoy the rare weather as brown sand dunes turned into white spectacle after snowfall. HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of the videos.
Watch rare snowfall in Saudi Arabia
Why is it snowing in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Gazette reported on Sunday that temperatures in Tabuk, Turaif, Qurayyat, Dawadmi and Taif plunged to 2 degree Celcius, while Sakaka and Hail recorded about 3 degrees, with cold conditions in the region to persist in the coming days.
According to Gulf News, the Saudi National Centre of Meteorology had warned of cold weather conditions with a sharp dip in temperatures and had precited the possibility of snowfall in the highlands of Tabuk and Hail.
Also read: US issues worldwide alert for H-1B, H-4 visa applicants, to expand ‘online presence reviews’
The report quoted meteorologists saying the conditions were linked to a deep low-pressure system sweeping across parts of the Middle East, resulting in heavy rain, cold air, and snowfall to areas where such weather is not expected.
However, Gul News quoted Saudi astronomer Mohammed bin Reddah Al Thaqafi saying that snowfall in northern Saudi Arabia occurs periodically each winter, even though it does not follow a fixed astronomical cycle. AL Thaqafi is an astronomer and expert at the Taif Astronomical Sundial and a member of the Arab Union for Space and Astronomy Sciences. He explained the recurrence depends largely on shifting climatic and atmospheric conditions.
The region witnessed erratic weather last week as Dubai was lashed with heavy rains, inundating streets and forcing offices to ask employees to work from home. Images and videos showed on social media showed people wading through knee-deep waters after intense rainfall following which the temperatures also plunged.
