Snow fell heavily on the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah last night, leaving the Jebel Jais mountains covered in a thick blanket of snow.

The extreme cold spell brought the temperature on top of the Jebel Jais mountain cluster, situated at a height of 5,700  feet, to as low as -3 degree Celsius and the snow blanketed an area extending over 5 km.

Major Saeed Rashid Al Yamahi, manager of the Air Wing of RAK Police, who flew a helicopter over the Jebel Jais mountain in the morning, said the entire area was covered with 10 cm of snow.

“The sight up there this morning was totally unbelievable with the snow- capped mountain and the entire area covered with fresh, dazzling white snow. The snowfall started at 3pm Friday afternoon and heavy snowing began at 8pm and continued till midnight, covering the entire area in a thick blanket of snow,” he said.

The temperature on top of the mountain cluster remained extremely cold during the daytime today with the temperature rising to just 1 degree Celsius this afternoon. “Much of the snow was still there even when we flew back from the mountain this afternoon. It is still freezing cold up there and there are chances that it might snow again tonight,” Major Al Yamahi added.

M V Varghese, observer at the RAK Airport Meteorological Office, said there were scattered rains in Ras Al Khaimah last night which brought the temperature down. “The rain, along with the cold easterly winds and low lying clouds, could have brought the temperatures further down on the mountains,” he said.

Ras Al Khaimah had experienced heavy snowing on Jebel Jais mountains four years ago on December 28, 2004. “I had flown there in 2004 when it snowed, but this time it is much heavier,” Major Al Yamahi added.

The Jebel Jais mountain cluster is situated around 25 km from Ras Al Khaimah City and normally has significantly lower temperatures even during the peak summer months. 

Ras Al Khaimah has plans to capitalise on the attractive climate and spectacular scenery of Jebel Jais by building a mountain resort there, a statement said. -TradeArabia News Service