The Sahara Desert was hit by an icy explosion, with temperatures dropping below freezing.
Snow also covered parts of Saudi Arabia, which saw mercury hitting 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
A photographer captured images with camels after a snowfall in the Tabuk region of northwestern Saudi Arabia.
The area – which is close to the border with Jordan – has experienced unusual weather this month.
The desert kingdom may experience highs of up to 122 degrees during the warm season, but this month temperatures have dropped below 32 degrees.
On January 10, locals in the mountainous region were treated to a gust of snow.
Freezing temperatures
Snow also fell near the desert city of Aïn Séfra in Algeria this week.
Photographer Karim Bouchetata took incredible photos of ice covering the sand of the small town in the Saharan desert.
The sheep were seen sitting on ice-covered dunes on Wednesday as temperatures dropped to 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Aïn Séfra – known as the “Gateway to the Desert” – is located about 3280 meters above sea level and is surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.
Also, Saudi Arabia experienced snow in 2018, and the locals had fun with sleds and snowballs.
Snow has also fallen in Lebanon, Syria and Iran – where some regions have been buried under four feet.
January is the coldest month in Saudi Arabia, with an average of 68.36 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tabuk is one of the coldest regions in the country, but usually faces dry weather, with average temperatures of 39.2 degrees.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Eric Leister said that while it is rare for snow in the region, it is not completely out of the ordinary.
Researchers studying changes in precipitation in the Sahara region have found that the desert has grown significantly in the last century due to climate change.
Professor Sumant Nigam, an atmospheric and ocean scientist at the University of Maryland and lead author of the study, said: “Our results are specific to the Sahara, but they probably have implications for the other deserts of the world.”
It comes as parts of the UK prepare for rainy days, with forecasters warning that fast-flowing floods could be “life-threatening”.
Up to 2.3 meters of torrential rain is now heading to wet England and Wales earlier this week, causing multiple weather warnings.
Met Office has now issued amber and yellow alerts for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, saying the British should expect “heavy and prolonged” showers, with snow melting causing flooding.