A rare downpour in parts of the Sahara Desert has created blue lagoons amid palm trees and sand dunes, rejuvenating some of its driest areas with more water than they’ve seen in nearly 50 years.
The Sahara, the world’s biggest hot desert, is located in North Africa and is probably one of the driest spots on Earth, with rainfall almost never occurring, especially during late summer. However, the government of Morocco told that two days of rainfall in September exceeded annual averages in several areas, such as Tata, which annually gets less than 10 inches of rain.
Historic Rainfall in Morocco
In the village of Tagounite, some 450 kilometers south of Rabat, more than 3.9 inches of rain fell within a 24-hour period. The storm was so exceptional that it brought forth breathtaking pictures of running water across the desert, reviving lush vegetation and sand-buried castles. NASA satellites filmed water flooding Lake Iriqui, a renowned lake bed between Zagora and Tata, where no water had been seen for the past 50 years.
In places known for tourists, 4×4 vehicles were seen navigating their way over waterlogged roads while locals gazed in amazement as at the raining scene. “It has been 30 to 50 years since we’ve experienced this amount of rainfall over such a short time,” commented Houssine Youabeb with Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology.
Heavy rain is moving across… the Sahara Desert? 🤔
Mali and Mauritania are experiencing unusually high levels of rainfall right now.
This may be one reason why the Atlantic has had so few hurricanes so far. Tropical waves, which often develop into hurricanes, have not been… pic.twitter.com/iyAxYFJn3W
— Zoom Earth (@zoom_earth) September 5, 2024
Effects of the Tempest over Desert Societies
Palm trees in the desert town of Merzouga stood underwater in newly formed lakes, with surreal landscapes all around them. Youabeb thinks the heavy, isolated rains falling from what meteorologists described as an extratropical storm might fundamentally change the weather system in the region. More water could mean higher evaporation, which may entice more storms to the region in the coming months and years.
Drought Struggle and Hopes for Relief
No rain has plagued Morocco for the last six years, agricultural hardship and water shortages were introduced to cities and rural communities. Most of the farmers had to give up on their fields, and most of the cities are engaged in water rationing. The desert-based aquifers of groundwater replenished by this kind of rain are critically important for supplying water to these communities.
Diminished Success for the Region
While heavy rain has filled up reservoirs all over the region at unprecedented rates, the long-term effects on reducing drought are far from clear. Unfortunately, multiple deaths in excess of 20 were reported in Morocco and Algeria in the wake of the storm, with farmland flooding and crops damaged. The Moroccan government declared an emergency and funded relief efforts, which will include support for regions of the country still reeling from last year’s earthquake.
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