Snow on Jebel Shams January 2007

We are not sure who took these photos of an early January, 2007, snowfall on Jebel Shams.

They are taken from the radar station on Jebel Shams, just outside Nizwa, Oman. Those of you who have been on the cliff walk will have driven to a point near the security gate which is just beyond the point in the road where you turn to drive over to the camping spots, chalets, and starting point for the cliff walk. The radar station itself is on the next ridge and at a considerably higher elevation (3005 m).

Drew Gardner, who knows the mountain well, commented, "I'm sure these are taken at the radar station and not the security gate. There are no juniper trees at the gate and also you can see Jebel Khawr in the background . . . and the picture is taken at least at the altitude of the Jebel Khawr summit which is over 2800 m. Also I have never heard of snow falling below 2500m on the mountain."

There was a snowfall in Ras al Khaimah a few years ago and snow is often reported on some of the higher mountains in the region, notably those over 3000 meters.