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Rare August snowfall blankets swathes of Chile’s Atacama desert

rare-snowfall-atacama-desert-chile-august-2021

Image credit: Ada Bassi

A rare August snowfall blanketed swathes of Chile's Atacama desert on August 25, 2021, with parts of it reportedly receiving as much as 82 cm (32 inches).

"This does not occur yearly. Maybe a relatively important snowfall like the one today can happen every two or three years. For this time of the year, late August, is something relatively unusual because this is usually seen in June and July," said Daniel Díaz, a meteorologist at the Northern Regional Meteorological Centre.

Image credit: NOAA/GOES-East, RAMMB/CIRA, TW. Acquired at 14:00 UTC on August 25, 2021

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