The Sahara Desert was hit by an icy explosion with temperatures dropping below freezing.
Snow also covered parts of Saudi Arabia, causing the mercury to hit 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
A photographer captured images of camels after a snowfall in the Tabuk region in northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The area – which is close to the border with Jordan – experienced unusual weather this month.
The desert empire may experience a peak of up to 122 degrees during the hot season, but this month the temperature dropped below 32 degrees.
On January 10, locals in the mountainous region were treated to a spate of snow.
Freezing temperatures
Snow also fell this week near the desert town of Aïn Séfra in Algeria.
Photographer Karim Bouchetata took incredible photos of ice covering the sand in the small desert town in the Sahara.
Sheep were seen on the ice-covered dunes on Wednesday as temperatures dropped to 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aïn Séfra – known as “The Gateway to the Desert” – is approximately 3,280 feet above sea level and is surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.
Saudi Arabia also experienced snow in 2018 and locals had fun with sledding and snowballs.
Snow also fell in Lebanon, Syria and Iran – where some regions were buried under four feet.
January is the coldest month in Saudi Arabia, with the mercury averaging 68.36 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tabuk is one of the coldest regions in the country, but it usually experiences dry weather with an average temperature of 39.2 degrees.
According to Eric Leister, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, it is rare for there to be snow in the region, but it is not entirely unusual.
Researchers studying changes in rainfall in the Sahara region have found that the desert has grown significantly over the past century due to climate change.
Professor Sumant Nigam, an atmospheric and oceanic scientist at the University of Maryland and the study’s senior author, said: “Our results are specific to the Sahara, but they are likely to have implications for the world’s other deserts.”
This comes as parts of the UK are stretched for days of downpour, with forecasters warning that rapid flooding could pose a “life-threatening” condition.
Up to 2.3 meters of rain could penetrate England and Wales earlier this week, yielding several weather warnings.
The Met Office has now issued a warning for Amber and Yellow for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, saying Britons should cause ‘heavy and prolonged’ downpours with snowmelt causing floods.