A desert has been turned white amid reports that snow fell there for the first time.
Multiple sources are reporting that snow fell in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Jawf region.
However, on Friday (November 2), the Saudi regime’s press agency said it was hail rather than snow.
And while snow is rare in Saudi Arabia, it’s not unheard of.
Some areas – such as mountainous Jiraz, Tabuk, or Jabal al-Lawz – can experience a light dusting most winters.
Regarding the recent sprinkling of the white stuff, the Saudi Press Agency said: “The e Al-Jouf Region has been blanketed in white since yesterday and this morning due to falling hail and heavy rainfall in the northern part of Sakaka City and Dumat al-Jandal Governorate.
“Heavy rains, accompanied by significant amounts of hail, have continued to fall across various parts of Al-Jouf since last Wednesday, saturating the ground with water and causing streams to flow, heralding a promising spring season.
“The Al-Jouf Region is known for its seasonal wildflowers in spring, including lavender, daisies, and a variety of aromatic plants.”
Saudi’s National Center for Meteorology said there were “still opportunities for thunderstorms with rain to develop over most of the governorates in Al-Jouf”.
Weather forecasters warned this could be accompanied by strong winds, poor horizontal visibility, hail, and potential flooding in the coming days.
The kingdom isn’t the only country in the Middle East experiencing cold weather this autumn. Back in October, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) issued alerts regarding anticipated rainfall, thunderstorms, and the potential for hail in several areas.