Cold weather hits 5 Arab nations as Iraq shuts schools, delays work hours

Unstable weather conditions, ranging from cold to stormy, have hit five Arab countries, while snowfall and a cold wave in Iraq forced schools to close on Monday and Tuesday.

Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Iraq have all experienced cold and unstable weather, according to separate statements from their weather departments.

Iraqi Meteorological Department spokesman Amir al-Jabir said in a statement that "the country has been affected by a polar air mass, especially after snowfall in some western and northern regions."

"The cold wave will end by next Thursday," said the official Iraqi News Agency (INA), quoting al-Jabir's forecast.

In response to the weather, Salahuddin and Nineveh provinces decided to suspend school on Monday and delay the start of work for government employees.

Kirkuk province has also announced school closures on Monday and Tuesday due to the drop in temperatures, according to INA.

- UNSTABLE WEATHER

Meanwhile, Oman's Meteorological Department issued a warning on Sunday, cautioning about "the possibility of fog and low clouds forming over parts of several governorates, including the capital Muscat, during the late night and early Monday morning, which may reduce horizontal visibility."

Qatar's Meteorological Department also reported on Sunday that "scattered clouds with light dust were observed in some areas at times, accompanied by relatively cold weather at night and active to strong northwesterly-northeasterly winds."

Kuwait's Meteorological Department stated on Sunday that "the night will be cold to very cold, with partly to mostly cloudy skies and light to moderate northwesterly winds, occasionally active in coastal areas."

In a post on X, it predicted that "Monday daytime will see a noticeable drop in temperature, with partly cloudy weather and light to moderate northwesterly winds."

Saudi Arabia's National Center for Meteorology issued alerts on Sunday, forecasting dust storms, active winds, and near-zero horizontal visibility in regions including the Eastern Province and the northern border areas.

In Egypt, the Meteorological Authority warned in a statement of "maritime navigation disruptions" on Monday in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez, with wave heights reaching 2.5-4 meters.