Lebanon Turns White as Storm Joyce Hits The Country

Storm Joyce left most of Lebanon under a blanket of snow Thursday, lifting some of the gloom that has dominated the crises-hit country.

Snow at low altitudes engulfed the country in the early hours of Thursday morning, accompanied by heavy rains in coastal areas that led to flooding and blockage of many main roads.

As a result substantial traffic and congestion interrupted residents’ mobility, a common occurrence during Lebanon’s winter weather.

Temperatures also dropped significantly, and experts at Lebanon’s Meteorological Department determined it would be the coldest day of the year.

Many people posted images and videos of snow-covered areas on social media, saying it was a good change from the usually bad news and images consistently coming out of Lebanon over the past several months.

The Meteorological Department also projected the forecast for the rest of the week, stating that Thursday evening and Friday would witness high intensity rainfall, and a high frequency for lightning and thunder.

The snow storm is expected to subside gradually, as Friday and Saturday will experience snowfall at a higher altitude than has been recorded earlier this week. Sporadic rainfall and fog are also expected, and temperatures are likely to alternate between 15 and 6 degrees Celsius in Beirut, and 6 and -4 degrees Celsius in Lebanon’s mountainous regions and the Bekaa Valley.

Sunday will once again bring snowfall at lower altitudes, and experts warn of snow formation on mountainous and interior roads, urging those who can avoid driving on the icy terrain to do so.

This article has been adapted from its original source.