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Snow Falls In The Sahara For First Time In Over 37 Years
Snow Falls In The Sahara For First Time In Over 37 Years
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Snow Falls In The Sahara For First Time In Over 37 Years

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The Sahara Desert is the last place you’d expect to find snow. It is, after all, one of the driest and hottest regions of the world with an average temperature of 30C. But in a surreal turn of events to mark the end of an already surreal year, the small desert town of Ain Sefra in Algeria woke up yesterday to find that the red sand dunes had unexpectedly turned white.

The bizarre phenomenon was caught on camera by amateur photographer Karim Bouchetata. “Everyone was stunned to see snow falling in the dessert,” he said. “It is such a rare occurrence. It looked amazing as the snow settled on the sand and made a great set of photos. The snow stayed for about a day and has now melted away.” This is only the second time in living memory that snow has fallen on the Sahara. The first time was in February 1979, also in Algeria.

More info: Facebook | Geoff Robinson Photography

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    LMA

    LMA

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    LMA

    LMA

    Author, Community member

    This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself.

    What do you think ?
    Lena Nyberg
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And no snow at all in Sweden. The World is upside down.

    Intensive Panda
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    this looks like caramel mountains with sugar powder on it

    pearl dsouza
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Desert or Dessert???? This could be a part of winter wonderland.

    Luca Plas
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm going to use 'snow on the sahara' as an idiom for something everything thinks is impossible but happens anyway. Especially since it happened in the year Trump became president and Great Britain left the EU.

    Troux
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now Playing: Anggun - Snow on the Sahara

    Daria B
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The day when the Sahara looked like caramel.

    olemann77
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And im sitting here in Norway hoping to get some snow .... Things are not allright.

    Peter Gründler
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you for these wonderful Pictures! no snow in Vienna :-/

    Veronique Anketier
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The last pictures make me think of cocoa poured over cream. Wait... why are we all fantasizing about food? :-D

    Hseed
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Everyone is thinking in caramel and chocolate... Are you hungry or something? (closes the browser and reaches a box of chocolate)

    Nuno Barros
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's so rare to rain this time of the year, that snow almost never falls! When it does rain it's usually too hot. Negatives are actually common this time of the year: https://goo.gl/ZJ4SN2

    Paul Ihme
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    there is no climate change :D

    Nuno Barros
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Rain is rare there, not cold temperatures in winter...

    Load More Replies...
    Shari Mangus Morsli
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My husband was born in Ain Sefra. I visited there this summer. It's got sand dunes but technically is not the desert. It's in the area where you start seeing sand but it isn't all sand.

    Victoria Wei
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And yet, here in NC we don't have snow

    Samantha P
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I haven't even had snow on the ground yet and I live in California!!!! What's the odds of that??

    veronica vaudeville
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It looks like powdered sugar on top of caramel 

    Judy Neal
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It looks so surreal. All credit to the photographer, they're stunning shots.

    Mi Do
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    where is this ? algeria ? it was last year

    OMER KHAN
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    One of the best and world famous site,Watch online dramas and your favourite programs on your favourite website www.thepinoytv.com pinoytv

    Banana Pundae
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well you just wanna break everything 2016, well *pounces and ends. Well now 2017 is in jail so we have more of 2016 yay. I'm dead inside

    Yunos Darby☯️
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It snows in Sahara but not in the Aland island

    Thor Sten
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet Trump uses this to proof that there is no global warming

    julien
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet you that all the ignorant brainwashed global warming deniers love it. This exception proves the rule. by the way it freezes every night in the desert.

    Kenri Basar
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remember a song called "Snow on the Sahara" now...

    Digont Bodo
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That means....polar already shifted

    Ana Super
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    everywhere is snowing only at my place isnt lol

    Randy Aliwarga
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You should tune in to Anggun's "Snow on the Sahara" song. A really nice song

    Ahmad Pujianto
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hi.. There has been a song for this few years ago.. Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpj3ra3AeJk

    clara
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    f*****g global warming get your s**t tgt

    Cece
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    wow! Can I repost those photos to Chinese wechat?

    Byron X.
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It will be amazing if there are any macro photos.

    Gabriella Lengyel
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing... could we expect a florishing sands soon? I'm making fun but the sight of snow in the Sahara is beautifull☃

    Gilcinei Leonel Pires
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never saw snow in my whole life, here in Brazil.

    Luke S.
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Meanwhile, in California...

    Si-Naron
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sunny day, -2 C (perceived +10) and no snow in Poland.... What's going wrong? I should move to Norway, Iceland where snow is falling per one half of year...

    Aline Fernandes
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This pics remind me of a caramel sea, mmmm

    Vincent Jay
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Global warming strikes again.

    Rimsha Khalid
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm sorry but this is fake how can it snow in the driest and hottest climate no way unbelievable 100%

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    it'll give some moist and/or water to the desert

    Whovian Kid
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Proof global warming is a myth

    Nuno Barros
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Freezing temperature this time are actually normal, it's just rain that isn't.

    Load More Replies...
    Flavia Slag
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What happened to Global warming?

    Andrew Ramirez
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please refrain form commenting about how global warming is a "myth." It's not. The fact isn't even disputable.

    Sick Boy
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Makes "global warming" a little less "global" now, doesn't it?

    Sam Spade
    Community Member
    8 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Thank God for man-made global warming. Think how cold the poor Berbers would have been without it!

    Sam Spade
    Community Member
    8 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Thank God for global warming. Think how cold it would have been if we didn't have it?

    Lena Nyberg
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And no snow at all in Sweden. The World is upside down.

    Intensive Panda
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    this looks like caramel mountains with sugar powder on it

    pearl dsouza
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Desert or Dessert???? This could be a part of winter wonderland.

    Luca Plas
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm going to use 'snow on the sahara' as an idiom for something everything thinks is impossible but happens anyway. Especially since it happened in the year Trump became president and Great Britain left the EU.

    Troux
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now Playing: Anggun - Snow on the Sahara

    Daria B
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The day when the Sahara looked like caramel.

    olemann77
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And im sitting here in Norway hoping to get some snow .... Things are not allright.

    Peter Gründler
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank you for these wonderful Pictures! no snow in Vienna :-/

    Veronique Anketier
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The last pictures make me think of cocoa poured over cream. Wait... why are we all fantasizing about food? :-D

    Hseed
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Everyone is thinking in caramel and chocolate... Are you hungry or something? (closes the browser and reaches a box of chocolate)

    Nuno Barros
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's so rare to rain this time of the year, that snow almost never falls! When it does rain it's usually too hot. Negatives are actually common this time of the year: https://goo.gl/ZJ4SN2

    Paul Ihme
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    there is no climate change :D

    Nuno Barros
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Rain is rare there, not cold temperatures in winter...

    Load More Replies...
    Shari Mangus Morsli
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My husband was born in Ain Sefra. I visited there this summer. It's got sand dunes but technically is not the desert. It's in the area where you start seeing sand but it isn't all sand.

    Victoria Wei
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And yet, here in NC we don't have snow

    Samantha P
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I haven't even had snow on the ground yet and I live in California!!!! What's the odds of that??

    veronica vaudeville
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It looks like powdered sugar on top of caramel 

    Judy Neal
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It looks so surreal. All credit to the photographer, they're stunning shots.

    Mi Do
    Community Member
    7 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    where is this ? algeria ? it was last year

    OMER KHAN
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    One of the best and world famous site,Watch online dramas and your favourite programs on your favourite website www.thepinoytv.com pinoytv

    Banana Pundae
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well you just wanna break everything 2016, well *pounces and ends. Well now 2017 is in jail so we have more of 2016 yay. I'm dead inside

    Yunos Darby☯️
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It snows in Sahara but not in the Aland island

    Thor Sten
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet Trump uses this to proof that there is no global warming

    julien
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I bet you that all the ignorant brainwashed global warming deniers love it. This exception proves the rule. by the way it freezes every night in the desert.

    Kenri Basar
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remember a song called "Snow on the Sahara" now...

    Digont Bodo
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That means....polar already shifted

    Ana Super
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    everywhere is snowing only at my place isnt lol

    Randy Aliwarga
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You should tune in to Anggun's "Snow on the Sahara" song. A really nice song

    Ahmad Pujianto
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hi.. There has been a song for this few years ago.. Check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpj3ra3AeJk

    clara
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    f*****g global warming get your s**t tgt

    Cece
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    wow! Can I repost those photos to Chinese wechat?

    Byron X.
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It will be amazing if there are any macro photos.

    Gabriella Lengyel
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Amazing... could we expect a florishing sands soon? I'm making fun but the sight of snow in the Sahara is beautifull☃

    Gilcinei Leonel Pires
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never saw snow in my whole life, here in Brazil.

    Luke S.
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Meanwhile, in California...

    Si-Naron
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sunny day, -2 C (perceived +10) and no snow in Poland.... What's going wrong? I should move to Norway, Iceland where snow is falling per one half of year...

    Aline Fernandes
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This pics remind me of a caramel sea, mmmm

    Vincent Jay
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Global warming strikes again.

    Rimsha Khalid
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm sorry but this is fake how can it snow in the driest and hottest climate no way unbelievable 100%

    Kjorn
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    it'll give some moist and/or water to the desert

    Whovian Kid
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Proof global warming is a myth

    Nuno Barros
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Freezing temperature this time are actually normal, it's just rain that isn't.

    Load More Replies...
    Flavia Slag
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What happened to Global warming?

    Andrew Ramirez
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Please refrain form commenting about how global warming is a "myth." It's not. The fact isn't even disputable.

    Sick Boy
    Community Member
    8 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Makes "global warming" a little less "global" now, doesn't it?

    Sam Spade
    Community Member
    8 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Thank God for man-made global warming. Think how cold the poor Berbers would have been without it!

    Sam Spade
    Community Member
    8 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    Thank God for global warming. Think how cold it would have been if we didn't have it?

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