Astonishing images of snowfall in one of the hottest Sahara desert has amazed netizens after they went viral after being shared on Instagram.
The month of January brings snow and ice to many parts of the world, turning neighbourhoods and city centres into winter wonderlands, however, this year the snow has been seen in a popular vast area that is usually known for its scorching temperatures.
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The Sahara desert has witnessed snowfall with temperatures plummeting to -2C (28F).
Blankets of snow-covered an area that is close to the desert town of Ain Sefra in Algeria on 13 January, when the mercury fell to -3°C.
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The unexpected scenes were captured on film by photographer Karim Bouchetata, whose mesmerizing shots show snow settling on the dry sand dunes of the desert.
Some parts of Saudi Arabia also received light snowfalls with locals expressing joy and excitement over the rare phenomenon.
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It was for the first time in over half a century that temperatures in the region dropped below freezing. According to reports, the mercury dipped to -2C (28F) in the southwestern region.
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A report revealed that the rare event has occurred just three times in the past 37 years with the previous three snowfalls reported in 1979,2016 and 2017.
