Snow blankets Cairo for first time in more than 100 years, paralyzes Jerusalem
Snow coated domes and minarets Friday as a record Mideast storm compounded the suffering of Syrian refugees, sent the Israeli army scrambling to dig out stranded motorists and gave Egyptians a rare glimpse of snow in their capital.
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- A picture taken through the windshield of a car shows Egyptians driving in the rain on December 13, 2013 in the capital Cairo. A regional cold snap spread to Egypt, with some Cairo suburbs seeing snowfall for the first time in years, a weather official said. (Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images)
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- An Ultra Orthodox Jewish man walks in the snow a head of Shabat (Saturday), At the Mea Shearim Ultra orthodox jewish neighborhood on December 13, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. Heavy storms continued throughout Israel on Friday, causing traffic disruptions and power outages across the country. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- Ultra orthodox Jews walk in the snow a head of Shabat (Saturday), At the Mea Shearim Ultra orthodox jewish neighborhood on December 13, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. Heavy storms continued throughout Israel on Friday, causing traffic disruptions and power outages across the country. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- An Ultra Orthodox Jewish man walks in the snow a head of Shabat (Saturday), At the Mea Shearim Ultra orthodox jewish neighborhood on December 13, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. Heavy storms continued throughout Israel on Friday, causing traffic disruptions and power outages across the country. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- An Ultra orthodox Jewish woman walks in the snow a head of Shabat (Saturday), At the Mea Shearim Ultra orthodox jewish neighborhood on December 13, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. Heavy storms continued throughout Israel on Friday, causing traffic disruptions and power outages across the country. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- An Ultra orthodox Jewish girl carries pillows as she walks in the snow a head of Shabat (Saturday), in the Mea Shearim Ultra Orthodox Jewish neighborhood on December 13, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. Heavy storms continued throughout Israel on Friday, causing traffic disruptions and power outages across the country. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- A picture shows snow in the Egyptian town of Madinaty, 40 kms east of Cairo, on December 13, 2013. A bruising winter storm brought severe weather to the Middle East, forcing the closure of roads and schools and blanketing already miserable Syrian refugee camps with snow. (Kareem Khirat/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Snow covers the scene in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, some 400 kms south-east of Cairo on December 13, 2013. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Egyptian men ride a scooter in the rain on December 13, 2013 in the capital Cairo. A regional cold snap spread to Egypt, with some Cairo suburbs seeing snowfall for the first time in years, a weather official said. (Khaled Desouki/AFP/Getty Images)
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- A picture shows snow in the Egyptian town of Madinaty, 40 kms east of Cairo, on December 13, 2013. A bruising winter storm brought severe weather to the Middle East, forcing the closure of roads and schools and blanketing already miserable Syrian refugee camps with snow. (AFP/Getty Images)
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- Israeli soldiers help stranded passengers off of an army truck to a temporary shelter after they had to leave their vehicles because of heavy snowfall in Jerusalem December 13, 2013. A snowstorm of rare intensity blanketed the Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank on Friday, choking off the city and stranding hundreds in vehicles on impassable roads. (REUTERS/Baz Ratner)
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- A woman swims in the pool at the David Citadel Hotel during a snow storm in Jerusalem December 13, 2013. A snowstorm of rare intensity blanketed the Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank on Friday, choking off the city and stranding hundreds in vehicles on impassable roads. (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)
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- Palestinian play and wave the Palestinian flag in the snow near the Damascus gate on December 12, 2013 outside Jerusalem’s old city, Israel. A heavy winter storm hit much of the Middle East yesterday evening into today, forcing the closure of roads and schools while covering widespread areas with snow and ice. (Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- A view of Jerusalem’s Old City following a snowstorm is seen from the Mount of Olives December 13, 2013. A snowstorm of rare intensity blanketed the Jerusalem area and parts of the occupied West Bank on Friday, choking off the city and stranding hundreds in vehicles on impassable roads. (REUTERS/Darren Whiteside)
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- Two Palestinian women stand in front of the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound during snow fall on the holy city of Jerusalem on December 12, 2013 (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Ultra-orthodox Jewish men wait at a bus station during a snowstorm in Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Ultra-orthodox Jewish men walk during a snowstorm in Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- An ultra-orthodox Jewish man walks during a snowstorm in Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A boy throws a snowball near Ibrahimi Mosque or the Tomb of the Patriarch, a religious site to both Muslims and Jews, in the West Bank town of Hebron as snow falls on December 12, 2013. (HAZEM BADER / AFP/Getty Images)
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- People walk near palm trees as snow falls outside Jerusalem’s old city on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Ultra-orthodox Jewish men protect their heads with plastic bags during snowfall in Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A man and a kid walk in the snow on December 12, 2013 in Istanbul. (BULENT KILIC / AFP/Getty Images)
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- An Ultra-orthodox Jewish man uses a public phone as snow falls Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A man walks in the snow on December 12, 2013 in Istanbul. (BULENT KILIC / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A general view shows the snow-covered Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the old city of Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Snow falls over the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosques compound in the old city of Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Israelis take a selfie in Jerusalem as snow falls on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Israelis build a snowman as they enjoy the snow in Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A woman walks near palm trees as snow falls outside Jerusalem’s old city on December 12, 2013. (MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A bulldozer shifts snow near the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the old city of Jerusalem on December 12, 2013. (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Palestinian man struggles with a horse during snowy weather on Mount Gerizim, near the West Bank city of Nablus, on December 12, 2013. (JAAFAR ASHTIYEH / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Palestinian man carries a sheep on a farm during snowy weather on Mount Gerizim, near the West Bank city of Nablus, on December 12, 2013. (JAAFAR ASHTIYEH / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A member of the Palestinian ambulance team is helped by a Palestinian man to push an ambulance in the snow in the West Bank town of Hebron on December 12, 2013. (HAZEM BADER / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Palestinian woman walks through Ramallah’s main square during snowfall in the West Bank on December 12, 2013. (MUSA AL-SHAERABBAS MOMANI / AFP/Getty Images)
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- Israelis walk in the snow on December 12, 2013 in Jerusalem’s old city, Israel. A heavy winter storm hit much of the Middle East, forcing the closure of roads and schools while covering widespread areas with snow and ice. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- An Israeli man throws a snowball as snow covers the Dome of the Rock at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in the backround on December 12, 2013 in Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- Palestinians play and wave the Palestinian flag in the snow near the Damascus gate on December 12, 2013 outside Jerusalem’s old city, Israel. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- Orthodox Jews walk past the Damascus gate on December 12, 2013 outside Jerusalem’s old city, Israel. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- Ultra-orthodox Jews enjoy the snow in the Mea Shearim religious neighborhood on December 12, 2013 in Jerusalem’s old city, Israel. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty Images)
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- Jewish men pray by the Western Wall as snow falls in the Jerusalem’s old city on December 12, 2013. (GALI TIBBON / AFP/Getty Images)
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- A Palestinian man poses for pictures with his national and the Fatah party flags as he lies in a half-frozen fountain in the West Bank town of Hebron after snow fall on December 12, 2013. (HAZEM BADER / AFP/Getty Images)
By Laura King and Batsheva Sobelman
Los Angeles Times
December 13, 2013, 4:28 a.m.
Nearly three feet of snow closed roads in and out of Jerusalem, which is set in high hills, and thousands in and around the city were left without power. Israeli soldiers and police rescued hundreds trapped in their cars by snow and ice. In the West Bank, the branches of olive trees groaned under the weight of snow.
In Cairo, where local news reports said the last recorded snowfall was more than 100 years ago, children in outlying districts capered in white-covered streets, and adults marveled at the sight, tweeting pictures of snow-dusted parks and squares. In other parts of the city, rain and hail rocketed down.
On social media, some joked that the snowfall was the mystical work of Gen. Abdel Fattah Sisi, the military strongman who is the focus of something of a cult of personality among his followers. Sisi led the coup five months ago against the highly unpopular but democratically elected Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi.
Storm-driven waves lashed Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, and fishermen in the ancient port city of Alexandria were warned by authorities against putting out to sea.
In the Sinai Peninsula, snow fell on Mt. Sinai and St. Catherine’s monastery at its foot. Sleet washed the dusty fronds of desert palm trees.
The inclement weather worsened the situation for tens of thousands of Syrian refugees in Lebanon, where many live in makeshift camps, abandoned buildings and other temporary sites lacking heat and protection from the elements.
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leonidas
Dec 14, 2013 @ 15:36:30
3 feet of snow?? i can hardly see 3-4 inches in these photos…
3MIN News Dec14, 2013 -and- Electric Universe 2014 Conference | Tidsånden
Dec 14, 2013 @ 06:16:31
[…] FEATURED LINKS:Snow Where it Shouldn’t Be: http://darkroom.baltimoresun.com/2013/12/winter-storm-brings-snow-severe-weather-to-middle-east/#1GMOs: http://news.sciencemag.org/environment/2013/12/e.u.-court-annuls-gm-potato-approvalDec. Temp […]
ceca
Dec 13, 2013 @ 14:46:02
Your Facebook share option is not working.
Michael Gold
Dec 23, 2013 @ 10:43:57
Thanks! We’ll take a look.
oleinwi
Dec 13, 2013 @ 14:34:39
So, is this global warming? Oh yeah, if it’s cold it’s “climate change”. How much snow has to fall in the mideast for the climate mongers to put down their crack pipes?
Snow storms in Cairo and Jerusalem for the first time in a century.
Dec 13, 2013 @ 13:46:21
[…] Nearly three feet of snow closed roads in and out of Jerusalem, which is set in high hills, and thousands in and around the city were left without power. Israeli soldiers and police rescued hundreds trapped in their cars by snow and ice. In the West Bank, the branches of olive trees groaned under the weight of snow. In Cairo, where local news reports said the last recorded snowfall was more than 100 years ago, children in outlying districts capered in white-covered streets, and adults marveled at the sight, tweeting pictures of snow-dusted parks and squares. In other parts of the city, rain and hail rocketed down. Snow blankets Cairo for first time in more than 100 years, paralyzes Jerusalem […]
Edward Bear
Dec 13, 2013 @ 13:42:49
Hokay. Where’s yer “global warming” the noo?
Winter Storm Electra: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | HEAVY
Dec 13, 2013 @ 12:38:20
[…] its heaviest winter snow storm in 50 years this week. The enormous storm system reached into Cairo, where local reporters claimed the snowfall was the heaviest it had been in a […]