Mercury plunges to record lows

MUSCAT: An extreme cold snap has broken temperature records on Friday and Saturday as the mercury dipped to a record low in several governorates of the Sultanate. Several weather stations registered temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius while six stations registered new record lows since they set up three years ago. The surfaces of ponds froze in Al Jabal Al Akhdar. The weather station at Jabal Shams dipped to -3 degree Celsius while the Saiq station registered 1 degree Celsius, 5 degree Celsius were registered in the wilayats of Al Mazyouna, Mahdha. Six degrees Celsius were registered in Yanqul, Ibri, Adam, Bahla and Maqshan.

The Directorate-General of Meteorology and Air Navigation at the Public Authority of Civil Aviation said that the cold wave sweeping across the Sultanate will subside gradually this week. The weather is expected to be generally fine in much of the Sultanate today with chances of late night dust in desert areas and late night and early morning low clouds and fogs in Al Dhahirah and Al Buraimi governorates. Low temperatures caused the surfaces of dams and bonds to freeze, however cold snaps are quite common for residents of Al Jabal Al Akhdar and sub-zero temperatures are frequent incidents at this time of the year with snow cover on trees and shrubs early in the morning in mountainous areas such as Hail Al Masbat.

The Wilayat of Mahdha in Al Buraimi Governorate witnessed significant drop in mercury levels with night temperatures ranging between 7 degrees Celsius and -1 degree Celsius. In the morning the locals observed the effect of the unprecedented cold weather with snow covering their vehicles.