in greater volume.





snow sahara


A metre of snow fell in some parts of the desert
Credit:
ZINEDDINE HASHAS/GEOFF ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY





Residents of Aïn Séfra, Algeria, were greeted this morning by a metre of snow, twice as much as has fallen in most ski resorts in the French Alps over the last week.







sahara desert


Snow fell here in December but before that it was 1979
Credit:
ZINEDDINE HASHAS/GEOFF ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY





The snow has caused chaos in the town known as the Gateway to the
Desert, with buses stranded on icy roads, while children have taken
advantage of the flurry, building snowman and sledging down dunes.







Less snow fell in December


Less snow fell in December
Credit:
Karim Bouchetata/Geoff Robinson Photography/Karim Bouchetata/Geoff Robinson Photography





Before last December it was in 1979 that Aïn Séfra, where the Atlas Mountains meet the desert, last saw snow.







How the desert town normally looks


How the desert town normally looks
Credit:
© Universal Images Group North America LLC / DeAgostini / Alamy Stock
Photo/Universal Images Group North America LLC / DeAgostini / Alamy
Stock Photo





Though the town is in the Sahara, its average January temperature is
about 6C degrees, while in July the mercury regularly reaches 38C
degrees.