Oman ‘feels like Switzerland’ as early snow draws crowds to mountains

Temperature in Hajar mountain range falls below zero a month earlier than usual

Related: Rarely seen ice on UAE's Jebel Jais after chilly weekend

Snow blanketed peaks in Oman’s Hajar mountains after temperatures dropped below zero this weekend.

Omanis and foreign residents of the capital, Muscat, flocked to see the snow-covered landscape despite temperatures as low as -3ºC on Jebel Akhdar.

“It is freezing up here. It feels like Switzerland, not Oman,” British resident Ian Phillips, 63, told The National.

“Snow everywhere, every square inch of the place is covered with it. It is completely different from the rest of the country.”

The average temperature in Oman as a whole hovered around 18ºC.

The sub-zero temperature on Jebel Akhdar came a month earlier than usual. Photo: Saleh Al-Shaibany for The National

“It is a bit unusual for the temperature there to go down this much in January, because of the recent rains and floods. Normally, it goes to sub-zero in February,” Bader Al Rumhi, a retired director of Meteorological Office at the Civil Aviation Authority, told The National.

Jebel Akhdar, at an elevation of 3,000 metres, is one of the highest peaks in the Hajar range, along with Jebel Shams.

The snowfall there follows heavy rain across the country since New Year’s Eve.

The rain caused the worst flooding since Cyclone Shaheen hit the sultanate in October, but also revived picturesque waterfalls.

People take pictures at the Ansab Nature Reserve in Muscat, Oman after heavy rains hit the country. All photos: Tara Atkinson for The National

Gardens at the Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Muscat are filled with floodwater.

Cars partially submerged on a street in Gubrah, Muscat.

People wade through floodwaters in the capital.

An area affected by floods in Gubrah.

Police temporarily block Sultan Qaboos Highway to allow municipal workers to pump water from the road.

Dark skies over Ansab, Muscat.

Some visitors to Jebel Akhdar camped on a plateau to enjoy the scenery.

“The snow is fluffy and pure white here, just like in Europe. It snowed the whole night last night. All the trees below us are covered in white and the mountain tops are full of snow,” said Abdullah Al Hilali, a terminal duty officer at Muscat International Airport.

“The only drawback is that we cannot light up a fire because it is freezing up here.”

Restaurant owners in the area were delighted with the steady stream of visitors.

“Business is good this time around just because the snow fell a month earlier than usual,” said Adil Al Subhi, who runs a restaurant in the village of Hail Yaman.

“They keep coming all the time, and that’s good for us.”

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Snow covers Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk region on New Year’s Day

Snowfall on the heights of Jebel Al Lawz, in Tabuk. All photos: SPA

In the Tabuk region, where Neom's Trojena development is planned, snow commonly falls in winter.

Jebel Al Lawz is a mountain in the north-west of Saudi Arabia.

The mountain is situated near the Jordanian border, about 200 kilometres north-west of the city of Tabuk.

Snow has covered parts of the kingdom’s northern cities over the past few years.

The south-western Asir region, at the other end of the long Hejaz Mountains range to Trojena, was also carpeted in snow in 2018.

The kingdom is home to a range of geographies, including the mountain ranges where it snows.

Despite this mountain geography, there are currently no outdoor skiing resorts in Saudi Arabia.

Heavy rain and snowfall in the province of Al Ahsa.

Saudi Arabia does have regular snowfall, thanks to its many mountains above 2 500 metres.

Snow carpets the ground in the province of Al Ahsa.

Snow has been falling on Jebel Al Lawz in the Tabuk region of Saudi Arabia. Photo: SPA

People have been visiting the area since Saturday, to see the snow. Photo: SPA

More snow is expected to fall on Jebel Al Lawz as well as the mountain areas of Al Dhahr and Alqan. Photo: SPA

Thunderstorms accompanied by showers and hail are expected in Makkah, Al Bahah, Riyadh, Al Qassim and other areas of the kingdom. Photo: SPA

People enjoy a moment in the snow in Tabuk. Photo: SPA

Vehicles line the road to Jebel Al Lawz as hundreds of people visit the area. Photo: SPA

The extreme weather led security forces to close the road leading to the area, reports said. Photo: SPA

Women play in the snow. Photo: @Sebusher via Twitter