Arabian winter wonderland

The Saudi desert has been coated in a white layer of hail in recent days, transforming it into a winter wonderland.

A number of strong thunderstorms and heavy rain swept across the desert in parts of Saudi Arabia in recent days. The sharp showers left a centimetre-thick layer of hail, contrasting to the usual sandy scene.

While it may look like snowfall, only hail and rain fell. This is evident on the TemperatureRadar below, where temperatures have not been falling below 46°F at night, while exceeding 77°F by day; far too mild for snowfall.

Thunderstorms in the desert here are not exceptional. However, they are not a regular occurrence either. When it rains in Saudi Arabia, it is mainly during the winter months.

Only in the far north-west of Saudi Arabia, atop the 9,350 ft-high Jabal Al-Lawz mountain, there is an occasional layer of snow in winter.

Nearby, a large ski resort named Trojena is being built, the only open-air ski resort in the Arabian Peninsula. The mountains are only cold enough to sustain artificial snow for approximately three months.