Sahara desert turns green after rare heavy rains

The typically dry and barren Sahara Desert is experiencing an unusual burst of greenery following heavy rainfall in early September. Satellite images from NASA reveal plant life sprouting across parts of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya after an extratropical cyclone hit the region on September 7 and 8.

The rare rain event drenched these areas, which usually receive minimal rainfall, causing shrubs and trees to grow in low-lying areas like riverbeds, according to experts from NASA's Earth Observatory. These extreme rainfall events allow plants to take quick advantage of the moisture, temporarily transforming the desert into a green landscape.

The phenomenon isn’t entirely new. The Sahara was once lush and covered with vegetation thousands of years ago. However, this sudden greening is striking, given the desert’s usual dry conditions. Researchers also noted that some desert lakes, typically dry, have been filling up.

An extratropical cyclone over the Sahara Desert drenched parts of Morocco and Algeria – bringing up to a year’s worth of rain to some areas. @nasa’s Terra satellite captured floodwaters and some Saharan lakes, usually dry, filled with water. https://t.co/cuS1c73RoA pic.twitter.com/m8Ga8G0FgO

— NASA Earth (@NASAEarth) September 17, 2024

Rainfall from the recent storm totaled more than half a foot in some areas—significant for a region that typically sees just inches of rain annually. This shift in weather patterns is partly due to a northward movement of the tropical rain belt, influenced by climate factors like record-high Atlantic Ocean temperatures and the transition from El Niño to La Niña.

While this greenery may be short-lived, it’s a striking example of how climate patterns can bring unexpected changes to even the driest places on Earth. Meanwhile, the extreme weather has had devastating effects elsewhere, with over 1,000 deaths and millions affected by flooding in parts of West and Central Africa.

Experts warn that ongoing climate change could further disrupt weather patterns, potentially pushing rain belts farther north in the future. However, some scientists believe that as global ocean temperatures even out, the rain belt could shift back south, possibly even crossing the equator.

Source: ABCNews.go.com