Rare Deluge Floods Parts of the Sahara Desert for the First Time in Decades.

 

A rare downpour transformed parts of the Sahara desert, creating blue lagoons among palm trees and sand dunes as some of its driest regions received more water than they had in decades.

In southeastern Morocco, one of the most arid areas on Earth, rainfall is uncommon, especially in late summer. However, in September, two days of heavy rain exceeded yearly averages in regions that typically receive less than 10 inches annually. Tata, one of the hardest-hit areas, and Tagounite, a village 280 miles south of the capital, Rabat, recorded over 3.9 inches of rain in just 24 hours.

The storms produced striking scenes of water rushing through desert landscapes, filling long-dry lake beds like Lake Iriqui, which had been dry for 50 years. NASA satellites captured images of the water returning to the desert, while locals in tourist hotspots like Merzouga marveled at the rare sight.

"It's been 30 to 50 years since we've had this much rain in such a short time," said Houssine Youabeb from Morocco's General Directorate of Meteorology. Meteorologists identified the phenomenon as an extratropical storm, which could shift the region's weather patterns in the future by increasing evaporation and drawing in more storms.

This unexpected rainfall comes after six consecutive years of drought in Morocco, which has caused farmers to abandon fields and forced water rationing in many areas. While the rain will help replenish groundwater aquifers and dam reservoirs, the long-term impact on the region’s drought is uncertain.

The storms also had devastating effects, leaving more than 20 people dead in Morocco and Algeria and damaging crops. The Moroccan government has allocated emergency relief funds, particularly in regions still recovering from last year’s earthquake.