Snow blanketed the Middle East: New Ice Age around the corner?

© Halil Ibrahim Tasel/Anadolu Agency

A kid slides down a snow-covered slope on a plastic bag in Kocaeli, Turkey on January 6, 2015

Parts of the Middle East were treated to an unusual sight on Tuesday as snow blanketed areas from Turkey to Israel.

Much colder-than-average air pushed into the region associated with an unusually sharp dip in the jet stream this week, bringing a storm with strong winds and in some locations, snowfall. For an area that doesn't often see widespread snowfall, the past two winters have seen significant storms blanket the Middle East.

In December 2013, a storm slammed parts of Syria, Jordan and Israel, dumping record snowfall on the area.

© earth.nullschool.net

Visualization of winds across the Middle East, showing strong winds blowing across the Mediterranean, toward Turkey, Lebanon and Israel

While Tuesday's storm turned the landscape into a winter wonderland in some locations, transportation ground to a halt in several cities across Turkey as a result of the weather. Turkish Airlines was forced to cancel several domestic flights.

In the hilly capital city of Ankara, school buses struggled to move on the snowy streets according to local reports.

Parts of Lebanon were also blanketed with snow. Take a look at the Roman ruins in Faqra, Lebanon, below:

Meanwhile, portions of Israel were bracing for the storm. Israel's Meteorological Service predicted snow Tuesday night into Wednesday, with blizzard conditions expected to impact Jerusalem; major highways leading into Jerusalem were also closed in preparation for the storm. A large snowstorm last winter left portions of Jerusalem without power for days, so residents were stocking up on supplies Tuesday ahead of the bad weather.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted that the country was prepared to deal with the storm, but asked residents to "just keep an eye on neighbors and help."

© OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images

A woman walks under the snow in Istanbul on January 6, 2015. Heavy snowfall descended on large parts of Turkey on Tuesday, snarling road and air traffic and leading to closures of schools

© Cem San/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Footprints are seen on the streets covered with snow after a snowfall at night in Bursa, Turkey on January 6, 2015.

© MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP/Getty Images

A Palestinian man walks near palm trees as snow falls in Jerusalem's old city. Jerusalem was transformed into a winter wonderland after heavy overnight snowfall turned the Holy City and much of the region white, bringing hordes of excited children onto the streets

© REUTERS/Mohamed Alhwaity

A man plays with snow after a heavy snowstorm in the desert, near Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

© REUTERS/Ali Jarekji

Men play with snow after a heavy snowstorm at the Citadel in Amman, Jordan

© REUTERS/Afif Diab

A Syrian refugee plays with snow outside tents in al-Marj, in the Bekaa valley, Lebanon

© Majdi Mohammed/AP

Palestinians play in the snow next to a section of Israel's separation barrier in Qalandia between Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ramallah