
This might not be the first place you'd expect to find a festive snowy scene, but incredible images show the Sahara desert looking particularly chilly.

It is just the second time in living memory that snow has fallen, with the last occasion being in February 1979.

The pictures were taken by amateur photographer Karim Bouchetata in the small Saharan desert town of Ain Sefra, Algeria, yesterday afternoon.

Stunning: The pictures were taken in Ain Sefra, in Algeria, yesterday afternoon

Photographer Karim Bouchetata said villagers were stunned by the snowy scene in the Sahara desert

Karim captured the amazing moment snow fell on the red sand dunes in the world's largest hot desert

He captured the amazing moment snow fell on the red sand dunes in the world's largest hot desert.

Snow was last seen in Ain Sefra, which is known as 'The Gateway to the Desert', on February 18, 1979 - when the snow storm lasted just half an hour.

This time the snow stayed for a day in the town, which is around 1,000 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.

Snow was last seen in Ain Sefra, which is known as 'The Gateway to the Desert', on February 18, 1979 - when the snow storm lasted just half an hour

This time the snow stayed for a day in the town, which is around 1,000 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains

The photographer said: 'Everyone was stunned to see snow falling in the dessert, it is such a rare occurrence'

Karim said: 'Everyone was stunned to see snow falling in the dessert, it is such a rare occurrence.

'It looked amazing as the snow settled on the sand and made a great set of photos.

'The snow stayed for about a day and has now melted away.'

The Sahara Desert covers most of Northern Africa and it has gone through shifts in temperature and moisture over the past few hundred thousand years.

Although the Sahara is very dry today, it is expected to become green again in about 15,000 years.

It is just the second time in living memory that snow has fallen in the Sahara village