Ice covers deserts of Ain Sefra, Algeria
Image credit: TW
Ice has again covered deserts around the Algerian town of Ain Sefra — The Gateway to the Sahara — on January 13, 2021.
This is the fourth winter in a row we receive snow or ice reports from this area.
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Snow covers northern Algeria's desert for the second winter in a row
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Snow covers desert town Ain Sefra for the second time this winter, Algeria
February 6, 2018
Heavy snowfall blocks multiple major roads in Algeria
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Photo report: Ice covers desert town of Ain Sefra — The Gateway to the Sahara, Algeria
January 5, 2020
Before 2018, Ain Sefra saw measurable snow in 2016, 2013 and 1979. To the surprise of many, on February 18, 1979 snow was reported in the country's south, far away from Ain Sefra. It was the first time in living memory that low altitude areas of the Sahara desert recorded snow. Several Saharan mountain ranges, however, receive snow on a more regular basis.
Ain Sefra (Aïn Séfra) is a town and municipality in western Algeria. The region it is located in is known as "The Gateway to the Desert." It is situated in the Saharan Atlas Mountains, 45 km (28 miles) east of the border with Morocco. The town lies in a broad valley between Mount Aïssa and Mount Mekter.
Video courtesy Karim Bouchetata
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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