Did it snow in the Empty Quarter? Scenes from Oman take the internet by storm

In a video that caught the attention of hundreds of thousands of people online, Omani photographer Ahmed Al-Hosni appears to be standing in a cold atmosphere surrounded by snow in the desert of the Sultanate of Oman during the summer months between June and July. In reality, the clip shows the salt layers of Umm Al-Sameem sabkha after the water has evaporated from it.

Al-Hosni documented the scene due to its "rarity," as he expressed, saying: "The area does not always appear in this white form, but this happens after rainfall, the flow of valleys, and the accumulation of water, then its evaporation and the emergence of white salt layers. Long periods may pass before the conditions that grant the place this scene are repeated."

In fact, the Omani photographer had to visit the site, located in a desert area within the Empty Quarter near the Omani-Saudi border, three times before he was able to find it. During the first visit, the area was largely submerged in water.

Al-Hosni explained: "During that visit, the scene resembled a vast sea, and we could not reach the site we planned to document due to the abundance of water and the difficulty of the road." The Omani photographer noted that what distinguishes this sabkha the most is the significant transformation that occurs in the scene over a short period, saying: "Initially, large parts of it are submerged in water, and after the water recedes and evaporates, a bright white salt layer appears extending over wide areas, making the place look as if it is covered in snow in the middle of the desert."

The Omani photographer considered that aerial photography with a drone contributed to attracting attention, as it worked to "show the size of the place and its extensions more clearly, along with the contrast between the white color of the sabkha, the blue color of the remnants of water accumulations, and the surrounding sands." As for those wishing to visit the place, Al-Hosni confirmed that it is a journey that requires planning and caution, warning against heading to the site without the assistance of someone knowledgeable about the area.