Published: January 29,2016
A car in Kuwait is covered in a dusting of what appears to be snow, but may likely be graupel. (Middle East Eye )
What
appeared to be the first snowfall ever seen in Kuwait created a flurry
of activity on social media as users excitedly uploaded photos and
videos.
According to the Middle East Eye, the alleged snow fell Thursday morning after temperatures in the area dropped.
"Cold
temperatures in the Arabian Desert are not unusual in winter. On
Thursday, the daytime high temperature at Salmy, in far western Kuwait,
was only 4˚C (about 39˚F)," said weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman.
Despite
the appearance of a winter wonderland, Meteorologist Mohammad Karam
says the “snowfall” was actually hail that fell onto wet grounds and
created a layer of ice, according to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA).
(MORE: Bizzare Star-Shaped Hailstone Ties California State Record)
"Some numerical forecast guidance
earlier in the week suggested a dusting of snow was possible in northern
Saudi Arabia and far southern Iraq. However, it appears more likely
Kuwait saw either graupel (snow particles that are heavily rimed with
ice) or small hail," said Erdman.
Nearby Saudi Arabia,
which occasionally sees snowfall, also had a recent cold snap that
caught the country by surprise, reports Malaysian Digest. Temperatures
plummeted below 32 ˚F, thickening the flurries and causing officials to
suspend classes in the northern border areas of the country.
In the northern Saudi city of Rafha today snow covers the ground, as temperatures plummet to -2 degrees.
Karam cautions farmers in Kuwait to protect their crops and groves from harmful hail effects.
MORE: Syria Snow
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