Exceptional snow covers Riyadh with the arrival of polar winds in 1973 (details)

Arab Weather - Despite the rarity of such phenomena, Riyadh witnessed a documented snowfall on January 3, 1973 (Rabi' al-Thani 29, 1392 AH). Snow covered the entire city, accumulating noticeably in areas north and west of Riyadh, such as Diriyah. The snow reached a thickness of approximately 20 cm and persisted for hours, making it one of the most significant documented climate events in Saudi history.

Associated low pressure system - days of extreme cold

This event was accompanied by a low-pressure system that lasted for several days, bringing with it a sharp and unusual drop in temperatures and a significant increase in humidity. Al-Jazirah newspaper documented this rare event at the time, noting its significant impact on daily life and traffic flow in the capital.

Archival weather maps indicate a rare polar air surge in central Saudi Arabia.

A review of archival weather maps from that period reveals a rare surge of extremely cold, polar-origin air masses, sweeping across central and eastern Russia, passing through Central Asia and Iran, before descending deep into Saudi Arabia. This descent of cold air led to an unprecedented drop in temperatures in most cities in the Kingdom and caused snowfall in Riyadh for the first time in decades.