Hailstorm hits one of the hottest countries in the world. Check out the rare sight
The Middle Eastern country of Kuwait experienced a rare winter hailstorm that blanketed it in ice, photos and videos show.
Kuwait is one of the hottest countries in the world, AFP reported. That description did not apply on Wednesday, Dec. 27, when hail turned the desert landscape white.
The rare weather event occurred as a heavy rainstorm and cold air front simultaneously crossed the country, Arabia Weather and Al Jazeera reported.
Photos shared by the Kuwait Times show people playing with the hail and throwing it.
“We have not seen so much hail during the winter season in 15 years,” Muhammad Karam, a former director of Kuwait’s meteorological department, told AFP.
Wearing sneakers and bundled up in fluffy vests, kids used the hail for impromptu snowball fights, photos from AFP show. Adults joined the fun too, other photos show.
Videos shared on social media show roads that appear snow-covered due to the hailstorm. Another video shows hail collected on a truck’s hood and cargo bed. Other clips show the wind blowing hail across the ground, almost looking like an optical illusion, as the storm continues to pound.
Summer temperatures in Kuwait can exceed 131 degrees Fahrenheit, but winter temperatures briefly reach around 35 degrees Fahrenheit, The National News reported. Although winter weather occasionally brings hail, “There is no known record of snow having fallen in Kuwait,” the outlet reported.
Google Translate was used to translate stories from Arabia Weather and Al Jazeera.
This story was originally published December 28, 2022 at 3:38 PM with the headline "Hailstorm hits one of the hottest countries in the world. Check out the rare sight."
