From record breaking heat in Australia to the big freeze in North America, we seem to be going through a period of unusual and extreme weather at the moment.

As if to reinforce the point, here are some stunning pictures of snow falling in the unlikeliest of places, the Sahara desert.

However, while it does sound like an incredible event, this is actually the third time in 40 years that the town of Ain Sefra in Algeria has experienced snowfall, with the last time being just last year.

Ain Sefra lies on the very northern edge of the Sahara and is known as the ‘Gateway to the Desert,’ situated at roughly 1000 metres above sea level it is surrounded by the Atlas Mountains. Temperatures are frequently around zero at this time of year, and with the right conditions and moisture in the air snow is definitely a possibility. However, this year’s flurry is the heaviest in living memory for residents of the town.

So however unusual it may seem, this particular weather event is hardly a sign of end times. It is beautiful though! Scroll down below to check out the amazing images captured by Algerian photographer Karim Bouchetata.

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