Snow falls on the usually quite hot Sahara Desert

Snow on the Sahara.

Image: Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock

By Johnny Lieu2018-01-10 04:35:07 UTC

Africa’s Sahara Desert isn’t the place you’d expect to see snow.

Yet a rare winter storm powdered the arid sand dunes of northwestern Algeria with white snow on Sunday, the third time an event like this has happened in 40 years.

What’s even odder is snow also fell on the Sahara last year. Before that, the town of Ain Sefra saw snow all the way back in 1979, albeit for only half an hour.

The region typically experiences blisteringly hot weather in summer, exceeding temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). However, it cools right down in winter, hitting an average low of 31.5 degrees Fahrenheit (-0.5 degrees Celsius).

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883a) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

While the Sahara is a long way away from the freezing temperatures the eastern U.S. is experiencing right now, the desert is receiving the same cold air.

That cold air crossed the Atlantic, creating heavy snowfall in Morocco, then on sprinkled a little on the Sahara.

So, when it snows in Morocco this weekend — where is that cold air coming from? From North America — Eastern Canada & the Northeast USA. The cold air pools from the Arctic blasts maintain their integrity 1-2 miles above the surface heading across the open Atlantic. http://pic.twitter.com/WvJQ4ZNlU7

— Ryan Maue | weather.us (@RyanMaue) January 3, 2018

“We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5 p.m.,” photographer Karim Bouchetata said.

Of course, the photos are really something else.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883ab) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883ad) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883af) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883c) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883i) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Geoff Robinson Photography/REX/Shutterstock (9309883k) Snow in the Sahara Desert near the town of Ain Sefra, Algeria Snow in the Sahara Desert - 07 Jan 2018 *Full story: http://bit.ly/2Et2Lm8 As much of the northern hemisphere sees record cold temperatures, the SAHARA Desert has been hit by SNOW for the second time in four decades. Photographers have taken incredible pictures of 40cm deep snow covering the sand in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra after a freak winter storm yesterday (Sun). The town in the world's HOTTEST desert had not seen snow for 37 years when it arrived this time last year and locals were stunned when it began falling on the red sand dunes yesterday morning. Snow started falling in the early hours of Sunday morning and it quickly began settling on the sand. Photographer Karim Bouchetata said: "We were really surprised when we woke up to see snow again. It stayed all day on Sunday and began melting at around 5pm."

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