50-Year-Old Dry Lake Revives After Sahara Desert Floods, Morocco Sees Year’s Worth of Rain in 2 Days

Continuous Rain Causes Floods in the Sahara Desert After 50 Years

For the past two days, continuous rain has caused flooding in the Sahara Desert. According to Morocco’s weather department, the country has experienced two days of nonstop rainfall, which has broken the annual average rainfall record. In a village 450 kilometers from the capital Rabat, nearly 4 inches of rain fell within 24 hours.

Unprecedented Rainfall After 50 Years in the Sahara Desert

Meteorologists have stated that this is the first time in 50 years that the Sahara Desert has received so much rain in such a short period. NASA satellite images show water filling up the Iriki Lake, which had dried up over the last 50 years.

Viral Photos of Water in the Desert

Photos of water filling up between the sand dunes in the Sahara Desert have gone viral on social media. The last time such a phenomenon occurred was in 1974, following a six-year drought in the Sahara, which was later transformed into a flood.

Scientists Predict Sahara Will Turn Green in 1,500 Years

Scientists estimate that in the next 1,500 years, the Sahara Desert will become green. This is due to the Earth’s axis tilting between 22 and 24.5 degrees during that period, which will alter the desert’s climate. The name “Sahara” comes from the Arabic word “Sahra,” meaning desert.

The Vast Expanse of the Sahara Desert

The Sahara Desert covers an area of 9.2 million square kilometers, which is twice the size of India. It is the largest desert in the world, spanning across 10 North, Central, and West African countries, including Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Chad, Sudan, and Egypt.

Impact of Rain on the Desert Climate

Scientists have indicated that this rainfall could lead to climate and temperature changes in the region over the coming months or years. The increased moisture in the air could result in more evaporation, potentially causing more storms in the region.

Previous Weather Events in Morocco and Algeria

Last month, floods in Morocco resulted in the deaths of 18 people. In 2022, Algeria experienced snowfall, which is rare for the region. This was the fifth recorded snowfall in the Sahara in 42 years, causing temperatures to plummet to -2 degrees Celsius.