Cold spell hits several parts of Oman

Muscat: Several parts of the Sultanate of Oman are reeling under cold weather with Jabal Shams in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate recording the lowest of one degree Celsius, according to the Directorate General of Meteorology on Saturday.

The highest peak in the Sultanate witnessed extreme cold conditions, and had a high of 4 degrees Celsius on Saturday. Over the long weekend, many expatriates and citizens had visited the place to enjoy the cool weather.

Earlier last month, Jabal Shams had recorded the lowest temperature in the Sultanate of Oman with 0.3 degrees Celsius with weather forecasts predicting that the mountain town may experience below zero degrees Celsius later this week.

According to the Met department, low temperatures were also recorded in various governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, including low of 8 degrees Celsius in Saiq, and 13 degrees Celsius in Nizwa, on Saturday.

Warm jackets and winter wear were out for people in capital Muscat with strong cool winds blowing across on Thursday and Friday. While it was pleasant in Muscat with a maximum temperature of 21 degrees Celsius, the evenings and nights were comparatively cooler with a temperature ranging from 16-19 degrees Celsius.

Major cities like Sohar and Sur are expected to have temperatures in a similar range.

Weather will be generally clear over most of the governorates, and clear to partly cloudy over the coastal areas of Dhofar Governorate, with the possibility of sporadic rain, formation of low clouds or fog in the morning in Al-Wusta and Dhofar governorates.