There was more than a flurry of surprise for parts of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/gulf-news/saudi-arabia/">Saudi Arabia</a> shortly before iftar on Wednesday, as heavy snow and hailstorm hit the Taif region, blanketing streets and delaying traffic. Some motorists stopped to capture what is a rare occurrence for spring in the kingdom, with many posting videos and images on social media. As the hailstones and snow built up on the streets and pavements, the Taif Municipality's field teams used bulldozers to clear roads and neighbourhoods. More than 90 teams of municipality workers removed the snow and ice to restore traffic flow, the municipality said as it dealt with heavy rain in Taif and its suburbs. High winds, hail and torrential rain have combined to create reduced visibility for drivers. Heavy rain has fallen across the kingdom this week, with the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) issuing several thunderstorm warnings in the Makkah region. With the Eid Al Fitr holidays expected to fall on Friday or Saturday, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs has directed its branches in the kingdom to follow up on the NCM's forecasts and perform Eid prayers inside mosques, rather than in outside spaces in cities and provinces where more rain is expected.
