Snow fell in Baghdad for the first time in 100 years, something most Iraqis have never seen. After five years of unrestful strife and war, snowflakes fell in the capital city for a little more than four hours. While it is not unusual for Kurdistan to receive snow, it is basically unheard of as far south as Baghdad – where precipitation generally does not exceed 8" in a year.

Happy residents declared the snow an omen of peace. One policeman, Murtadha Fadhil, declared the snow "a new sign of the new Iraq. It’s a sign of hope. We hope Iraqis will purify their hearts and politicians will work for the prosperity of all Iraqis."