A video by Omani photographer Ahmed Al-Hosni has gone viral, garnering hundreds of thousands of views online. In it, he appears to be standing amidst the snow in the Omani desert during the summer months, between June and July.
But the white scene that appeared in the clip has nothing to do with snowfall, but rather with the salt layers left behind by the Umm Al-Samim salt flat after the water evaporated.
Al-Hosani documented the scene due to its rarity, explaining that the area doesn't appear this white all the time, but rather after rainfall, when wadis flow and water collects, before evaporating and leaving behind layers of bright salt. He added that the conditions that create this scene may not occur again for a long time
The site is located in a desert region within the Empty Quarter, near the Omani-Saudi border. The Omani photographer had to visit it three times before he was able to find the scene he wanted to document.
During his first visit, the area was flooded, preventing access to the target site Al-Hosani said the scene resembled a vast sea, and the abundance of water and the difficult terrain made reaching the location impossible.
Al-Hosani believes that what distinguishes Umm Al-Samim salt flat most is the great transformation that occurs in its appearance during a short period of time, as large parts of it are submerged in water, then the water recedes, and a white salt layer appears that extends over large areas, making it look as if it is covered with snow in the middle of the desert.
Aerial photography using a drone helped to highlight the scene, as it clearly showed the extent and size of the salt flat, as well as the contrast between the whiteness of the salt layers, the blueness of the remaining water pools, and the surrounding sand.
As for those wishing to visit the site, Al-Hosani stressed that the trip requires planning and caution, warning against going there without the help of someone who is an expert on the area.
The Umm al-Samim salt flat is one of the largest in the Sultanate of Oman and the Arabian Peninsula. It is a low-lying, enclosed basin where rainwater and runoff from valleys collect. As the water evaporates under the influence of high temperatures, salts precipitate onto the surface, forming a white crust that can make the area appear as if it is covered in snow.
The scene is not limited to its visual beauty, as the sabkha is a highly saline environment, and the thin salt crust may hide mud saturated with salt water underneath, making some parts of it unsafe to cross.
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