A rare and heavy snowfall has transformed Saudi Arabia's desert landscape, blanketing sand dunes and turning them white for the first time in 30 years. The snowfall, which began on December 17, has affected multiple regions including Tabuk, Hail, Qassim, and areas near Riyadh, with temperatures dropping below freezing in some locations.

The National Center of Meteorology has attributed the phenomenon to a deep low-pressure system moving in from the Mediterranean Sea, bringing very cold air south into the Arabian Peninsula. Scientists point to climate change as a factor in such extreme weather events, with the Arab region warming at nearly twice the global average. While it remains unclear if this week's snowfall represents a new normal, the images of camels navigating through snow-covered dunes serve as a reminder of shifting climate patterns across the Arabian Peninsula.