Kuwait hit by rare hail storm

Videos show snow-like covering on roads in capital

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  Youths pose for a picture with hailstones along the side of a road after a storm in Umm Al Haiman district, about 55km south of Kuwait City. All photos: AFP

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  Children play with hailstones on the side of a road in the Umm Al Haiman district

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  Kuwait experienced heavy rain across most parts of the country on Tuesday

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  The Gulf country has been affected by weeks of wet weather

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  Videos and pictures of hail-covered roads went viral on social media on Tuesday

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  Kuwait's meteorological centre said it expected the rain to continue until Wednesday morning

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  The centre forecast that there would be moderate to heavy rain, with the chance of more hail

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  A number of motorways were closed as a result of the rains

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  A man and children toss handfuls of hailstones in Umm Al Haiman district

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  Temperatures across the Gulf country have dropped significantly over the past few days

Videos of hail-covered roads in Kuwait City went viral on social media on Tuesday.

Posts show roads that are seemingly covered in snow, which in fact was a mixture of rain and hail.

Kuwait's meteorological centre said that the Gulf country would be affected by sporadic rain between Tuesday afternoon until dawn on Wednesday.

The centre issued a weather warning for scattered moderate to heavy thunderstorms that may be accompanied by hail. Winds may exceed 55 km/h, causing a drop in visibility in some areas.

The Ministry of Interior announced the closure of a number of main roads after water pooled on their surfaces owing to heavy rainfall.

Temperatures in Kuwait can be higher than 55°C in the summer months but sink to as low as 2°C during the short winter period.

There is no known record of snow having fallen in Kuwait, although hail and frost as well as dust storms and occasional rain are normal. Parts of neighbouring Saudi Arabia, however, often experience snow falls.