Cold weather is sweeping across the globe, even in hot places like the Sahara Desert. Residents of the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria, have seen snowfall on the red sand dunes of the Sahara Desert. The snow began falling after a rare winter storm.
A cold front swept through the area, bringing temperatures down to around 1 degree Celsius. The sight of snow and ice covering the desert dunes impressed tourists and locals. Some were lucky enough to capture memorable moments as the snow melted the next day.
The snow gradually melted at 5:00 p.m. the same day.
The extreme weather phenomenon has brought otherworldly images of one of the hottest places on Earth during the summer. According to CNN, it is not uncommon for temperatures across the hottest desert to drop below -10 degrees Celsius at night, causing ice and snow to appear for a period of time. However, from the scene, photographers said snow continued to cover the area during the day.
The usual yellow sand has given way to overwhelming white snow.
Snow covers more than 40cm in the Sahara desert.
High pressure means the cold weather will be further south than usual. Ain Sefra is located about 1000m above sea level and is surrounded by the Atlas Mountains. Although the city's altitude is ideal for snowfall, historically it has been rare for snow to be seen in the town, and temperatures usually drop to between 6 and 12 degrees Celsius in January.
The Sahara Desert spans most of North Africa and it has gone through many changes in temperature and humidity over the last few hundred thousand years to reach its current form.
Ngoc Anh
