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Looks like perhaps the edge of the Sahara desert was caught up in a piece of the polar vortex; snow in one of the hottest areas on earth ought to silence all of the AGW doom mongers, two snowfall events in just 2 years is beyond astonishing, I feel that it points to the fact that weather all over the world has become exceedingly erratic and unpredictable in recent years.
I lived and worked deep in the Sahara desert for more than 2 years. It's an immense desert, as large as the entire continental US. Summer temps were around 130 F at 2 pm. We had no A/C and two of my colleagues died of heat stroke. But where I was, it would rain 3-4 times a year and the desert would suddenly blossom. It lasts a few days, then it's back to a lunar landscape.
This is not dramatic news. The town of Ain Safra (where the snow fell) is at 1000 m elevation, with winters as cold as Atlanta's. That means average January lows near freezing. The only reason it's mildly surprising is because of how dry it is in general. Otherwise, a non-news story by journalists who have no clue what they're talking about.
Well the snow is rare and arctic is right that the area fell at a location at 1000 m elevation. However snow in that region not that common there. Even so here is a clip from Algerian television from 2012 of snow in the Algerian desert
I lived and worked deep in the Sahara desert for more than 2 years. It's an immense desert, as large as the entire continental US. Summer temps were around 130 F at 2 pm. We had no A/C and two of my colleagues died of heat stroke. But where I was, it would rain 3-4 times a year and the desert would suddenly blossom. It lasts a few days, then it's back to a lunar landscape.
130 degrees? That can't be possible, because Death Valley, CA is regarded as having the highest temperatures on earth. Consider Badwater Basin. But I obviously get the point. Places that should never get snow are getting snow.
Looks like perhaps the edge of the Sahara desert was caught up in a piece of the polar vortex; snow in one of the hottest areas on earth ought to silence all of the AGW doom mongers, two snowfall events in just 2 years is beyond astonishing, I feel that it points to the fact that weather all over the world has become exceedingly erratic and unpredictable in recent years.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1Patois
Consider Badwater Basin. But I obviously get the point. Places that should never get snow are getting snow.
I don't believe in AGW but snow in the desert is weather, not climate. It probably is not particularly rare but there are also probably no good measurements over the years. The Mediterranean isn't so large as to totally cut off the cold air supply originating from the north and east. Even Buenos Aires gets snow every once in a while, examples being 1917 and 2007.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1Patois
130 degrees? That can't be possible, because Death Valley, CA is regarded as having the highest temperatures on earth.
The desert is not necessarily filled with weather observer or stations. Death Valley is located in a modern country with modern facilities.
I wonder how many places in the Sahara below 1000m get an ice day every winter. To me that is more more interesting than this since snow can occur at higher Temps. When a place in Algeria like Tamanrasset gets a subfreezing high get back to me
Edit: I know it's a bit over 1000m but Tamanrasset seems more representative of the Sahara than Ain Sefra
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