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Sahara covered with snow for first time in almost 40 years

21 December 2016 15:08 (UTC +04:00)

For the first time in 37 years, snow has been spotted in the Algerian town of Ain Sefra, Sputnik International reported.

While the 1979 snowfall only lasted half an hour, the 2016 coldfront lasted for a full day.

An amateur photographer has captured breathtaking photos of snow-dusted sand dunes in the middle of the Saharan Desert.

Ain Sefra is located on the northern edge of the Sahara, and its relatively large size for a desert community has earned it the nickname "the Gateway to the Sahara." Karim Bouchetata, a resident of Ain Sefra and photography enthusiast, was amazed to see snow falling.

"Everyone was stunned to see snow falling in the desert," said Karim. "It is such a rare occurrence. It looked amazing as the snow settled on the sand and made a great set of photos."