Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
The Sahara Desert is experiencing a rare transformation as heavy rainfall has turned its typically arid, yellow landscape into green patches. This unusual weather pattern has been captured in satellite images, revealing the changes in the desert’s appearance.
By the end of September, some areas of the Sahara will have received five times their usual monthly rainfall. Parts of North Africa have experienced excessive precipitation, leading to flooding in areas typically characterized by dry, barren land.
The NASA Earth Observatory reported that while the Sahara does receive some rainfall, it usually measures only a few inches annually. The current rain levels have surpassed these norms, significantly altering the desert’s landscape.
On September 7 and 8, the region was hit by an extratropical cyclone, a type of storm distinct from tropical cyclones. This event contributed to large amounts of runoff water, further intensifying the rainfall’s impact on the region.
NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) captured the transformation, highlighting increased water levels and vegetation growth in the region. Varying shades of blue indicate water depth, while green patches mark the spread of vegetation.
One of the desert’s normally dry lakes has filled with water, according to the satellite images, emphasizing the unusual nature of the current weather pattern in the Sahara.
Scientists suggest that the heavy rainfall may be linked to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), a belt near the equator where air masses from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet. This zone has shifted northward, bringing more storms to the Sahara.
Other experts point to unusually warm waters in the North Atlantic and Mediterranean as a possible cause of the rainfall. NASA’s records indicate over 38,000 extreme rainfall incidents in the Sahara, with many associated with summer extratropical cyclones. This pattern could mean more rainfall in the desert’s future.