January is the month when most parts of the world witness snow. But have you ever thought that a desert can be covered in snow? Well, the Sahara desert has made it possible.

The hottest Sahara desert which has recorded temperatures as high as 58 degrees celsius is currently blanketed in the snow. In a rare scenario, the freezing weather has made its way to Africa and the Middle East, dipping the temperature in Sahara has to -2 degrees celsius.

Photographer Karim Bouchetata has captured mesmerising images of the Sahara desert as the region sees uncommon scenes. The ice on the sand dune looks unreal.

Is it the first time the Sahara desert has received snow?

Although snow in Sahara is unreal but not unheard of. The snow fell for the fifth time in 42 years with previous occurrences in 1979, 2016, 2018 and 2021.

Why is it snowing in the Sahara desert?

Ain Sefra, described as “the gateway to the desert,” is located 1,000 metres above sea level in the Atlas Mountains. It is located in Algeria’s Naama province, in the northern part of the Sahara, near the Moroccan border.

Ain Sefra witnesses average high temperatures of around 37 degrees celsius in summer and has seen record lows of -10.2 degrees Celsius in winter. Even though it may become very chilly at night, snow is extremely rare in the desert since there is rarely enough water in the air for it.

According to the leading British news website, high-pressure cold air systems have migrated overland to the deserts, lowering temperatures. Anticyclones of this type usually make their way to Saudi Arabia by travelling clockwise out of Central Asia, collecting up moisture along the way that cools and becomes snow.

Have a look at the pictures here!

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