BEIRUT: Snow began to fall in mountainous regions across Lebanon Thursday, blocking roads and isolating villages in the third storm to hit the country this year.
Snowstorm “Windy” is accompanied by strong winds, heavy rains and snowfall starting from an altitude of 800 meters.
Mountain roads in north Lebanon’s Akkar district were blocked by snow and were accessible only by 4-wheel drive cars and vehicles equipped with snow chains.
Schools were closed in villages located at an altitude of 1,000 meters and above, as “Windy” was expected to gain momentum during the day.
The meteorological department at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport forecast snowfall at 900 meters above sea level and winds at a speed of 80 to 90 kilometers per hour.
In the high mountains, roads were completely blocked by snow.
The Damascus highway, which connects the country’s eastern Bekaa Valley with Beirut, was closed briefly in Dahr al-Baidar, after several cars had skidded as a result of the frost.
Municipality workers and Civil Defense struggled to reopen that vital road, making it accessible only to vehicles with snow chains.
In southeast Lebanon’s Arkoub region, many villages were snowed in and students remained at home as schools closed for the day.
Heavy rainfall flooded rivers in Akkar, inundating adjacent agricultural fields. Farmers said they feared their crops were destroyed, as newly-planted potato and tomato seeds were washed away by flood waters.
The meteorological department said "Storm Windy" is blowing over from the Arctic and will last until Friday.
The forecast expects the storm to peak Thursday evening and subside before Saturday.
"Windy" arrives as Lebanon recovers from a storm that battered the country last week.
For several days, "Storm Yohan" pummeled Lebanon with heavy rain, snowfall and violent winds on the coast, causing severe damages to the country's infrastructure.
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