Sahara sand dunes were whitened with a layer of snow on New Year’s Day, according to a video from Ain Sefra in western Algeria.
Ain Sefra, Algeria – Parts of northern Africa’s Sahara desert are covered in snow for the first time in two years, creating a rare and unexpected sight.
On New Year’s Day, Algerian photographer Karim Bouchetata captured a video of snowflakes falling in Ain Sehra, a town in western Algeria about 30 miles east of the Moroccan border.
Video showed the dunes covered in fresh snow, but the road was still passable as the snowpack melted once the surface warmed.
The storm system that brought freezing precipitation formed over Europe, bringing winter chill to countries such as Algeria, Tunisia and Libya.
Most of the precipitation in lower elevations was rain, but higher mountain areas reported freezing rain and even snow.
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Algerian photographer Karim Bouchetata captured a video of snow falling in parts of the Sahara Desert on New Year’s Day.
(Karim Buschetata, via Storyful/FOX Weather)
Local authorities did not report any danger related to the snowfall, as many residents appeared to be enjoying the unusual sight.
Ain Sefra is often referred to as the “Gateway to the Sahara” because it is located at an altitude of approximately 3,600 feet between the vast Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains.
This unique topography provides a mix of desert and mountain climate, with occasional frozen precipitation during the winter months.
The storm system that brought the wintry weather has also brought heavy snowfall to the Alps and other parts of Europe, which have recently experienced a lack of snowfall.
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The Sahara Desert is the world’s largest and hottest desert, and the third largest overall desert after Antarctica and the North Pole.
Summer high temperatures often reach well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, while winter nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing.
It snowed in Johannesburg on Monday for the first time in more than a decade, giving some children their first taste of snow. (Video provided by: Reuters)
