Iraqis in the cities of Baghdad, Mosul and Karbala woke up to a rare sight of snow blanketing the landscape on Feb. 11.

Omg #Baghdad is snowing , sooo excited to see snow it’s beautiful, it’s first time ever happens . pic.twitter.com/OP64ztJOJU

— Ammar karim (@ammar_afp) February 11, 2020

Second snowfall in a century for Baghdad

According to Al Jazeera and Middle East Monitor (MEMO), the sight of snow was particularly significant for Baghdad, given that it was only the second time in a century that the Iraqi capital had received snow since 2008.

Multiple images and videos of the scene have since spread on Twitter, much to the excitement of Iraqi netizens.

Amazing snow in baghdad now. It is a strange phenomenon ~50 years pic.twitter.com/HUWD0OaUqB

— Ahmed (@AhmedObaid692) February 11, 2020

beautiful snow is covered Baghdad pic.twitter.com/FJBUVnR2PV

— عراق السلام (@Vazin28380810) February 11, 2020

Report from Baghdad: first snow since 1964. pic.twitter.com/HMAePk7mEn

— Kirsten Smith 🇺🇦 🇾🇪 (@KirstenSEA) February 11, 2020

https://twitter.com/thestevennabil/status/1227131086003589120

#Baghdad waking up to snow ❄️#صباح_الخير #بغداد #Iraq #Baghdad #العراق pic.twitter.com/YOv4e8N64I

— L!nDa M YoUs!F 🇮🇶 (@lindayousif997) February 11, 2020

#IRAQ
Iraq's capital Baghdad woke up covered in a thin layer of fresh snow, an extremely rare phenomenon for one of the world's hottest countries.
📸 @mo_sawaf #AFP pic.twitter.com/Fn6B4HNXJB

— AFP Photo (@AFPphoto) February 11, 2020

Amer al-Jaberi, media head of the Iraqi Meteorological Centre, was quoted by AFP as stating that the snow had been the result of a cold wave coming in from Europe.

He added that the snowfall could continue until Feb. 12, as a result of the "very cold weather".

In contrast, the hottest temperature ever recorded in Baghdad was 51°C -- a record that the city has approached several times in recent years, Aljazeera reported.

Brief moment of relief for Iraqi protesters

Both the Washington Post and Time reported that the snow brought a brief moment of relief to Iraqis who have been protesting against the government over corruption since October 2019.

Thus far, over 500 people have died in the protests, with the government having used live rounds to crack down on the protesters.

A protester added that the snow had largely melted by noon in most parts of Baghdad.

She added,"Now life goes back to normal."

Snow over the battered city of Mosul

Images of snow falling on the city of Mosul were also circulated on social media.

Parts of the city still lie in ruins from an operation launched by the Iraqi government to retake the city from the terrorist group ISIS in 2017.

Snow on Nuri mosque and the banks of the Tigris in #Mosul ❄️
Astonishing pictures by @AFpphoto's Zaid al-Obeidi #Iraq #weather pic.twitter.com/eYfyAD7Zpy

— Jean-Marc Mojon (@mojoinparis) February 11, 2020

The riverfront is wearing #snow white🎅❄☃️🌨❄⛄🧙‍♀️

Old city - #Mosul - #Iraq #snowday pic.twitter.com/hczX9F45Cg

— صفوان المدني Safwan Al-Madany (@safwan_almadany) February 10, 2020

Snowing in Mosul#Mosul #Iraq pic.twitter.com/HNmpY0CAB4

— Akram Agha (@akramagha20) February 10, 2020

The photo of the century.
Mosul and its Castle.#Mosul2020 pic.twitter.com/UzBxnwnmKx

— Mosul Eye (@MosulEye) February 11, 2020

According to a tweet by Mosul Eye, an account set up by Iraqi historian Omar Mohammed to initially document life under ISIS, this is the first time that it has snowed in the city in the 21st century.

Previously, it had snowed only thrice in Mosul in the 20th century -- in 1917, 1980s and again in the 1990s.

Throughout the 20th century, Mosul witnessed snow only three times, in early 1917 (when Tigris river was completely frozen), 1980s and the 1990s. Today marks the first time of snow covering the entire city in the second decade of 21st century.#Mosul2020 pic.twitter.com/MIN9tncikv

— Mosul Eye (@MosulEye) February 10, 2020

Snow in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala

Videos and images of snowfall in the southern Iraqi city of Karbala, the holy city for Shia Muslims, were also circulated on social media.

https://twitter.com/zainabZaidi110/status/1227258328830619648

Snowing in paradise!

Karbala covered in snow in a rare phenomenon pic.twitter.com/SrwFFIRnbe

— Sayed Mahdi Modarresi (@SayedModarresi) February 11, 2020

https://twitter.com/hamdani_raza/status/1227140300080123904

CNA reported that while snowfall is more common in northern Iraq, it is an extremely rare phenomenon in the country's central and southern regions given the lack of precipitation.

Top image from Mosul Eye Twitter