AIN SEFRA, Algeria – For the second time in two years, a blanket of snow covered parts of the Sahara desert in the north Africacreating a rare and unexpected sight.
On New Year's Day, Algerian photographer Karim Bouchetata captured a video of snowflakes falling over Ain Sefra, a town in western Algeria about 30 miles east of the Moroccan border.
The video showed the dunes covered in new snowbut it seemed to be easy to get past the streets as the snow cover was melting on a warmer surface.
The storm system that produced the freezing temperatures came over Europebringing the cold of winter to countries such as Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
Most of the precipitation that fell in the lower elevations was rain, but higher, more mountainous areas reported freezing rain and even some snow.
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Algerian photographer Karim Bouchetata captured a video of snow falling over parts of the Sahara desert on New Year's Day.
Local authorities did not report any dangers related to the snow, as many residents seemed to enjoy the rare sight.
Ain Sefra is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Sahara” as it sits at an altitude of around 3,600 feet, between the vast Sahara desert and the Atlas mountains.
This unique terrain means that there is a mixture of desert and mountains climatewith occasional freezing rain during the winter months.
The storm system responsible for the winter weather also brought heavy snowfall across the Alps and other parts of Europe, which have seen snow shortages recently.
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The Sahara Desert is the largest hot desert in the world and the third largest overall desert, after Antarctica and the Arctic.
High summer temperatures often rise well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and at the same time winter nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing.
Original article source: rare snow blankets the Sahara dunes in North Africa
