Snow covers Roman monuments in the Libyan town of Shahhat, known in ancient times as Cyrene, in Libya. All photos unless otherwise stated: Ali Al-Saadi
Snow covers Roman monuments in the Libyan town of Shahhat, known in ancient times as Cyrene, in Libya. All photos unless otherwise stated: Ali Al-Saadi
People wander in the ruins of Shahhat during the snowfall.
People wander in the ruins of Shahhat during the snowfall.
A snowman is built by a group enjoying the wintry weather brought by a cold snap.
A snowman is built by a group enjoying the wintry weather brought by a cold snap.
A snowball fight in the forests of Si Al-Hamari.
A snowball fight in the forests of Si Al-Hamari.
Musicians drive through the snow.
Musicians drive through the snow.
A girl wanders among the trees of a snowbound forest.
A girl wanders among the trees of a snowbound forest.
A girl starts to build a snowman in the forest.
A girl starts to build a snowman in the forest.
A family pose for a photo on a break from roaming the snow-covered roads.
A family pose for a photo on a break from roaming the snow-covered roads.
Among the snow in the forest.
Among the snow in the forest.
A snowman dressed in traditional Libyan garb is taken for a ride.
A snowman dressed in traditional Libyan garb is taken for a ride.
Girls playing in the streets of Al-Bayda. Photo: Alaa Rafi Al-Hudayri
Girls playing in the streets of Al-Bayda. Photo: Alaa Rafi Al-Hudayri

MENA

Snow in Libya sparks joy for children off school and adults in search of fun

Schools are suspended in Al Bayda, leaving children free to enjoy the snow

Hendia Alashepy

January 28, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Libyans flocked to the plateau of Jabal Al Akhdar and the city of Al Bayda on Thursday to enjoy a blanket of snow that has been building for days in the north-eastern parts of one of the driest countries in the world.

Residents of Jabal Al Akhdar, or Green Mountain, and its regional capital, Al Bayda, woke to snowfall on Tuesday, an occurrence that was once a rarity but has been increasing during winter.

“The snowfall continued for hours forming a layer that ranged between 4 and 8 centimetres in thickness, and temperatures have been between zero and minus 4° these days,” said environmental researcher Abdulsalam Kowaider.

READ MORE

Lebanon: spectacular pictures of hail-covered beaches cause delight

Editorial: Snow is causing an avalanche of suffering in the Middle East

Mr Kowaider measured the snow’s thickness himself because of a lack of meteorological centres in that part of the country.

With schools suspended since Tuesday in Al Bayda due to the extreme weather, children and families went outdoors to have fun, engaging in snowball fights, and dotting squares and streets with snowmen of different sizes.

Hamida Al Darsi, a student of agriculture at Omar Al Mukhtar University, travelled with her family to the forests in Jabal Al Akhdar, taking photos of the snow and the beautiful sights of the white-covered trees.

“We did not care for the chilling cold at these heights,” Ms Al Darsi told The National. “Once we saw the snow blanketing Bayda city, we joined the many other families in the streets and forests to play with snowballs and take pictures of the whiteness."

Despite the official holidays declared by the government in the eastern parts of Libya, streets were busy with people who came from across the country to see the snow.

Young campers from southern and western Libya came to the city of Bayda, historically known as the City of Snow, to camp in the forests, especially in coldest Seedi Al Hamari, and enjoy the experience to the fullest.

Walid Al Orfali travelled 1,200 kilometres from the capital Tripoli with his friends to camp in the forests of Jabal Al Akhdar.

“It may snow in western cities, even in Tripoli, but the snow quickly melts and is gone within hours," Mr Al Orfali said.

"But the snow in Bayda is thick and it lasts. We came to camp for a few days in Seedi Al Hamari and enjoyed the snow all through."

Indoors, families upheld the long tradition of cooking warm dishes associated with the chilling winters and falling snow.

Nouria Al Burousi, 65, said she enjoyed having authentic dishes such as megata and mathrouda prepared for her children and grandchildren when they were ready to come indoors from the cold.

“Al megata is a dish of handmade pasta-like dough, which is mixed with tomato sauce and a lot of hot chilli, while al mathrouda is a meal of bread, butter, dates and nuts, which is also served hot,” Ms Al Burousi said.

“As snow falls outside, I make us warm cups of green tea with thyme and mint leaves, which I’ve picked from nearby forests, and nuts and wild mushrooms which the kids collect from nearby fields.

“These meals are only prepared when the whole family comes together in freezing winters, as they’re loved by everyone, big and small.”

This article was written in collaboration with Egab.

Snow in the Middle East - in pictures

A snow-clad village in the Chouf district of Mount Lebanon governorate, about 52km south-east of Beirut. AFP
A snow-clad village in the Chouf district of Mount Lebanon governorate, about 52km south-east of Beirut. AFP
Cedar trees are blanketed in snow in Lebanon. AFP
Cedar trees are blanketed in snow in Lebanon. AFP
A man walks in the snow in Erbil, Iraq. AP Photo
A man walks in the snow in Erbil, Iraq. AP Photo
Snow fills the air in Erbil. AP Photo
Snow fills the air in Erbil. AP Photo
Israel's border with Syria is covered with snow, near the Druze town of Masada. AFP
Israel's border with Syria is covered with snow, near the Druze town of Masada. AFP
Syrians drive their cars on a street as snow falls over Damascus. AFP
Syrians drive their cars on a street as snow falls over Damascus. AFP
A child removes snow from the top of a tent at a camp for internally displaced people in the northern Aleppo countryside, Syria. Reuters
A child removes snow from the top of a tent at a camp for internally displaced people in the northern Aleppo countryside, Syria. Reuters
A child stands in the snow in Salat Zagrous, a camp for internally displaced people, in northern Syria. EPA
A child stands in the snow in Salat Zagrous, a camp for internally displaced people, in northern Syria. EPA
A camp for internally displaced people in the town of Raju in the rebel-controlled northern countryside of Syria's Aleppo province. AFP
A camp for internally displaced people in the town of Raju in the rebel-controlled northern countryside of Syria's Aleppo province. AFP
Children at a camp for internally displaced people in Raju have fun in the snow. AFP
Children at a camp for internally displaced people in Raju have fun in the snow. AFP
A windy day in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
A windy day in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
Reindeer in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights. AFP
Reindeer in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights. AFP
The Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. AFP
The Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. AFP
The Roman ruins at Baalbek in the eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. AFP
The Roman ruins at Baalbek in the eastern Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. AFP
Snow-covered houses in the town of Sohmor, western Bekaa, Lebanon. Reuters
Snow-covered houses in the town of Sohmor, western Bekaa, Lebanon. Reuters
Amadiyah, a town built 1,400 metres above sea level and located about 75km north of the city of Dohuk, in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region. AFP
Amadiyah, a town built 1,400 metres above sea level and located about 75km north of the city of Dohuk, in the autonomous Iraqi Kurdistan region. AFP
Snow-covered mountains around the town of Amadiyah. AFP
Snow-covered mountains around the town of Amadiyah. AFP
Iraqi Kurds perform a traditional dance near Safin Mountain, close to the city of Irbil, the capital of Iraq's northern Kurdish autonomous region. AFP
Iraqi Kurds perform a traditional dance near Safin Mountain, close to the city of Irbil, the capital of Iraq's northern Kurdish autonomous region. AFP
Israeli armored corps soldiers, fix their tank chains during snowstorm near the Israel-Syrian border in the annexed Golan Heights, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams. EPA
Israeli armored corps soldiers, fix their tank chains during snowstorm near the Israel-Syrian border in the annexed Golan Heights, near the Druze village of Majdal Shams. EPA
Children slide on the snow at the Kucukcekmece district in Istanbul. AFP
Children slide on the snow at the Kucukcekmece district in Istanbul. AFP
A child plays with a cat in a snowy park near of the Suleymaniye mosque in Istanbul. AFP
A child plays with a cat in a snowy park near of the Suleymaniye mosque in Istanbul. AFP
A young Syrian boy clears the snow covering a tent at a camp for internally displaced people, near the city of Jisr al-Shugur on the border with Turkey, in the Idlib governorate of northwestern Syria. AFP
A young Syrian boy clears the snow covering a tent at a camp for internally displaced people, near the city of Jisr al-Shugur on the border with Turkey, in the Idlib governorate of northwestern Syria. AFP
KEY%20DATES%20IN%20AMAZON'S%20HISTORY
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJuly%205%2C%201994%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jeff%20Bezos%20founds%20Cadabra%20Inc%2C%20which%20would%20later%20be%20renamed%20to%20Amazon.com%2C%20because%20his%20lawyer%20misheard%20the%20name%20as%20'cadaver'.%20In%20its%20earliest%20days%2C%20the%20bookstore%20operated%20out%20of%20a%20rented%20garage%20in%20Bellevue%2C%20Washington%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJuly%2016%2C%201995%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20formally%20opens%20as%20an%20online%20bookseller.%20%3Cem%3EFluid%20Concepts%20and%20Creative%20Analogies%3A%20Computer%20Models%20of%20the%20Fundamental%20Mechanisms%20of%20Thought%3C%2Fem%3E%20becomes%20the%20first%20item%20sold%20on%20Amazon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E1997%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20goes%20public%20at%20%2418%20a%20share%2C%20which%20has%20grown%20about%201%2C000%20per%20cent%20at%20present.%20Its%20highest%20closing%20price%20was%20%24197.85%20on%20June%2027%2C%202024%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E1998%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20acquires%20IMDb%2C%20its%20first%20major%20acquisition.%20It%20also%20starts%20selling%20CDs%20and%20DVDs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2000%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20Marketplace%20opens%2C%20allowing%20people%20to%20sell%20items%20on%20the%20website%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2002%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20forms%20what%20would%20become%20Amazon%20Web%20Services%2C%20opening%20the%20Amazon.com%20platform%20to%20all%20developers.%20The%20cloud%20unit%20would%20follow%20in%202006%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2003%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20turns%20in%20an%20annual%20profit%20of%20%2475%20million%2C%20the%20first%20time%20it%20ended%20a%20year%20in%20the%20black%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2005%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20Prime%20is%20introduced%2C%20its%20first-ever%20subscription%20service%20that%20offered%20US%20customers%20free%20two-day%20shipping%20for%20%2479%20a%20year%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2006%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20Unbox%20is%20unveiled%2C%20the%20company's%20video%20service%20that%20would%20later%20morph%20into%20Amazon%20Instant%20Video%20and%2C%20ultimately%2C%20Amazon%20Video%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2007%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon's%20first%20hardware%20product%2C%20the%20Kindle%20e-reader%2C%20is%20introduced%3B%20the%20Fire%20TV%20and%20Fire%20Phone%20would%20come%20in%202014.%20Grocery%20service%20Amazon%20Fresh%20is%20also%20started%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2009%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20introduces%20Amazon%20Basics%2C%20its%20in-house%20label%20for%20a%20variety%20of%20products%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2010%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20foundations%20for%20Amazon%20Studios%20were%20laid.%20Its%20first%20original%20streaming%20content%20debuted%20in%202013%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2011%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Amazon%20Appstore%20for%20Google's%20Android%20is%20launched.%20It%20is%20still%20unavailable%20on%20Apple's%20iOS%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2014%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Amazon%20Echo%20is%20launched%2C%20a%20speaker%20that%20acts%20as%20a%20personal%20digital%20assistant%20powered%20by%20Alexa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2017%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20acquires%20Whole%20Foods%20for%20%2413.7%20billion%2C%20its%20biggest%20acquisition%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2018%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon's%20market%20cap%20briefly%20crosses%20the%20%241%20trillion%20mark%2C%20making%20it%2C%20at%20the%20time%2C%20only%20the%20third%20company%20to%20achieve%20that%20milestone%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 592bhp

Torque: 620Nm

Price: Dh980,000

On sale: now

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
While you're here
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)

Date started: August 2021

Founder: Nour Sabri

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace

Size: Two employees

Funding stage: Seed investment

Initial investment: $200,000

Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East) 

While you're here
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
On Women's Day
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

Available: Now

SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50

Updated: January 28, 2022, 12:20 PM`
LibyaWeather