A video has captured an unusual scene along the Saudi-UAE border, showing a vast stretch of land completely covered in snow. The clip, shared on X, opens to a car driving through the white landscape with dark clouds looming overhead.
The frame is striking, as the region is usually known for its hot climate rather than snow-covered landscapes. In the video, the car moves steadily through the snow, highlighting the sheer scale of the frozen terrain. The clouds created a breathtaking landscape of grey and white.
Watch the video here:
According to a report in Khaleej Times, parts of the Arabian desert witnessed snowfall on December 18 in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The report said a period of low-pressure systems over the Middle East has brought heavy rainfall across the region over the past week.
Residents in northwestern Saudi Arabia were overjoyed as snow fell across the region, a rare sight in the desert landscape. Adults and children alike were seen singing and dancing in the snow, celebrating the unusual weather, Khaleej Times reported.
Many such videos, as well as photos, have been circulating online.
A video shows snowfall turning a vast desert into a white expanse, with a few camels visible in the distance.
Another clip captures an early-morning scene, still dark outside, where snow falls on a roadside.
In another post, a few photos show a layer of snow on the highlands of Trougina.
Videos of snow falling in a location north of Riyadh also made their way to social media. People called it a “rare” occurrence.
In one of the clips from a region in Saudi Arabia, we can see residents dancing and celebrating the unusual weather. As per the text attached to the video, the temperatures had dropped to -4 degrees Celsius.
One more video shows vast stretches of desert covered in snow under dark, looming clouds, with
'Recurring Winter Phenomenon'
Gulf News quoted Saudi astronomer Mohammed bin Reddah Al Thaqafi as saying that winter snowfall in parts of the Kingdom is a recurring phenomenon rather than an anomaly. He said that northern Saudi Arabia experiences snow from time to time each winter, though the timing is irregular and driven by changing weather patterns rather than any fixed astronomical cycle.
Al Thaqafi said snow is most likely to fall between December and February, particularly in areas such as Tabuk, Al Jouf and Arar, which are more directly influenced by Mediterranean weather systems. He added that locations including Jabal Al Lawz and other high-altitude zones in Tabuk, parts of Al Jouf and the Northern Borders, the mountain ranges of Hail, and the highlands of Abha in Asir are among the regions where snowfall is most commonly recorded.
While some winters see little or no snow, he said that these areas remain the most dependable within the Kingdom for experiencing winter weather conditions.
