Second snow in 38 years falls in the Sahara Desert

The largest and hottest desert in the world – Sahara Desert – has experienced yet another snowfall in 38 years at Ain Sefra in northern Algeria.

Residents of the desert town in the Naâma Province woke up to a sea of white covering the sand dunes last weekend and photographer Hamouda Ben Jerad captured the moment before the 16 inches of ice melted in the day.

❄️ Snow falls in the Sahara Desert https://t.co/HECFYvcDs9 pic.twitter.com/0Ww6NaxqdF

— euronews (@euronews) January 9, 2018

This is the second snowfall at the same place in 38 years after last year’s snow that was also captured by Algerian amateur photographer, Karim Bouchetata.

His photographs showed the first snowfall in the town since February 1979, with the red dunes covered with white snow patches. The snow is reported to have lasted for only a day.

https://web.facebook.com/kbouchetata/posts/1188947511192234

Here are some reactions to the once in a lifetime experience:

The weirdest things I’ve seen all week (mind you it’s only been 10 days into 2018): around 22 people have died during the extreme freezing temperatures in the US, Antarctica is GOING GREEN (melting) and there was 16 inches of SNOW in the SAHARA DESERT. Wow

— S [] (@whoashxti) January 10, 2018

What's your take on 'once in a lifetime' Sahara snow ❄️ happening in consecutive winters? Dis-moi quoi ❄️ pic.twitter.com/9h5C2wsZ5T

— 🌞Phillip Somerville (@unitambo) January 10, 2018

It snowed in the SAHARA DESERT yet it couldn’t even snow in North-East England for Christmas smh not good enough

— ? Lucy ? (@jameson4_lucy) January 10, 2018

Oh, that's not a good news for environment.

Snow in Sahara means lesser snow in Himalayas and more drought like conditions.

— Abhinav Chandel (@ABHIandNOW) January 10, 2018

I heard on the Weather Channel yesterday that it snowed in the Sahara. I think they said 14", but I was only paying partial attention.

Snow at all is pretty amazing, but that much is just astounding.

— Lin "Get the Vax" Sims (@MorgynLin) January 10, 2018

So it snowed in the Sahara yesternight. Hmm, crazy. And yes the desert and not the drink. #climate #climatechange #strange #snow #saharadesert #Algeria

— Arawore Ikutegbe (@aarawonder) January 10, 2018

Ever seen the Sahara in white? Part of the Sahara Desert is covered in snow up to 16 inches after a freak storm hit the area on Sunday, a rare sight seen only 3 times in 40 years pic.twitter.com/vwpX487DV2

— People's Daily, China (@PDChina) January 10, 2018

This article by Ismail Akwei was first published on face2faceafrica.com