Cold snap brings Gulf rare snow

[emad]

BBC

Snow has fallen in the United Arab Emirates for the first time in years, shocking residents of a desert country better known for its 50C summer heat.

Meteorologists reported heavy snowfall on the mountains of Ras al Khaimah, the federation's most northerly Emirate, as a cold snap gripped the region.

Many people told local media it was the first snowfall there in living memory.

"This is certainly a rare occurrence that happens every 20 to 30 years," a forecaster told Reuters news agency.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4135857.stm

A FREAK hailstorm one May morning in Dubai left an entire shipment of BMW cars totally decimated and also killed a flock of rare sheep belongiong to the Ruler of Sharjah......

[eleonora]

1. we broke all kinds of records this week here

Most snow since 1918 (22 inches at once), then a day later the coldest day since the 50s (-11F) and now, a few days later we're going to hit 70F 3 days into 2005, another record since 1955.

What gives? SOmething's wrong with the weather!

[emad]

2. On Christmas Day there was a UK TV weather forecast that said

the full moon on the 26th would be a major phenomenon astronomy-wise, something about it being the furthest distance from the earth for 16 years.....and that this might produce freak tidal conditions...

Next day the earthquake struck...

[eleonora]

3. wow...I know the moon has something to do with the tide

but a seismic event? I don't know...this is worth checking out. But haven't you noticed...France's heat wave, Florida's overactive hurricane season, the death of the Jet Stream, the melting of the North Pole...hm...

[emad]

4. In the run up to Christmas AP ran a story about freak snow in

Texas....

I think there have been a number os seismological studies re lunar cycles/solar storm cycles and earthquake activity.

Last year's 26 December earthquake in Bam, Iran, also followed full moon.....