In pictures: Snow falls in Algeria's Sahara Desert

Snow has fallen in the Sahara Desert in north-western Algeria as temperatures plummeted to below freezing.

For children from nearby towns such as Mekalis, it was a welcome relief from the scorching heat of the world's largest hot desert.

The ice crystals formed stunning patterns in the desert sands.

Dunes - ideal for sliding - were also partially covered by snow.

The town of Ain Sefra - known as the gateway to the Sahara Desert - also saw snow. Temperatures in the town often reach 35 degrees Celsius in July and August.

Snow is not entirely unknown in the region, which lies between the desert and the Atlas mountains.

This month's snow was not entirely surprising - it also happened in 2021, 2018 and 2017.

But the snow on the red sand dunes in December 2016 did come as a surprise. Residents of Ain Sefra said that it was the first time since 1979 they had seen snow, suggesting the phenomenon is now becoming more common.

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