The winter arrived in **Saudi Arabia** in an unusual way, as it **dressed the desert** of Al-Jawf in a white blanket, the result of the strange **rock storm that dyed the region white and formed a river of ice**. While this phenomenon had already occurred in Iraq in 2015, Arab authorities stated that these events are the result of icy storms, heavy rains, and strong winds caused by **climate change**.
According to Arab media, **rain and hail created beautiful snowy landscapes** in places like the city of Sakaka and the province of Dumant Al-Jawf. Even within these landscapes, one could admire the rivers of ice, caused by **streams overflowing**.
While this is indeed a sign of the **environmental issue**, for the population it also means a great amount of moisture that can support the influx of seasonal flora such as **chrysanthemums and lavender**. This is thanks to the unexpected hail falls that stimulate local enthusiasm and anticipation for a robust snow season.
After this phenomenon, the National Center of Meteorology of the United Arab Emirates attributed the presence of these rivers of ice to the low-pressure system coming from the **Arabian Sea**, which for the past couple of years has experienced temperatures ranging from 40 degrees to -2 degrees.
![The desert of Saudi Arabia covered in snow. Photo: X.](https://storage.googleapis.com/media-cloud-na/2024/11/nieve-en-Arabia-Sauita-240×300.jpg)
## **Signs of Climate Change**
It is the first time in almost half a century that the region’s temperatures dropped below the **freezing point**, creating uncommon scenarios for this region, although not entirely unknown.
In the past, desert corners in various parts of the world have experienced **uncommon climatic phenomena for the region**, such as hail, rivers of ice, and even soil greening. According to experts, this could be due to the low pressure passing through the upper layers of the atmosphere.
On the other hand, it is also suggested that these climatic conditions are caused by **warm temperatures and the lack of southern breezes**, bringing humid air, **generating rain and electrical activity** that increased wind speed and led to the large amount of hail that fell in some regions.
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