All around, a vast sandy desert stretches endlessly. The image that comes to mind when we think of a desert. A blazing sun overhead. No shelter anywhere. Along with limited water. Yet in that very desert, it seems someone has spread a white blanket of snow! And standing in it are camels, with cars moving through. Though it seems unbelievable, Saudi Arabia has witnessed such a rare sight.
This country, accustomed to using water sprinklers to reduce the intensity of heat during Hajj, has not seen such bone-chilling cold in the past few decades. Sudden snowfall and heavy rain have now covered the country's Tabuk province and a large area of Riyadh under ice.
Photos of snowfall in Saudi Arabia have surfaced, spreading all over social media. See the post here.
The Jabal al-Lawz mountain range in Tabuk is only 2,600 meters above sea level. But even its peaks are now completely covered in snow. Snowfall has been reported even in arid areas like Hail. Even amazing pictures of snow accumulating on camels' backs have gone viral on social media.
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The meteorological department of the country has reported that this situation has arisen due to temperatures dropping below freezing in the northern and central regions. Due to heavy snowfall and rain, remote learning has been implemented in Riyadh's schools, meaning studying from home, and drivers of cars and other vehicles have been advised to remain cautious.
For tourists who came to Saudi Arabia to enjoy the desert, this is certainly a bonus. They are flocking to the Al-Majma and Al-Ghat areas to witness this rare sight. People can even be seen skiing on the desert snow. However, behind this beauty of snow over sand lurks a grave concern.
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Meteorologist Hussein Al-Qastani has warned that this is not merely a weather change. It is part of an ominous signal of climate change across the world. Is this snowfall in the desert then an indication of nature's extreme revenge on human civilisation?
