Rare rainfall has created stunning blue lagoons among the sand dunes and palm trees of Morocco’s largest desert, creating breathtaking blue lagoons in just two days during September – more rainfall than is typically experienced there annually! Parts of southeastern Morocco experienced more rain in this short period than it usually would all year.
Meteorologists suspect the rains were brought about by an extratropical cyclone, Live Science reports. This storm system brought moisture from Equatorial Africa and could drastically change Saharan conditions over time.
1. Stunning Images of Water Lagoons
Morocco was hit hard by deluge rainstorms this month, leading to vibrant blue lagoons amidst palm trees and desert flora in its southeast region, replenishing some of the most arid regions with more water than they had seen for 30-50 years, according to Houssine Youabeb of Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology who told Associated Press it is amazing what nature can produce when left alone. “It’s incredible,” Youabeb exclaimed to AP. “It’s amazing.”
Youabeb attributes the rains to an extratropical cyclone, which is a large-scale rotating weather system that does not fit under tropical cyclone classification, since it forms over land instead of sea and lies at latitudes far away from the equator. These weather systems can alter local conditions by drawing moisture out of the ocean to evaporate and bring storms ashore.
Scientists report that global warming and carbon emissions have resulted in an ITCZ that has moved north, creating dramatic floods captured by NASA false-color satellite images. As ocean temperatures heat up and air temperatures warm further up over Africa than they would normally travel, Atlantic moisture from the Atlantic travels further inland over Africa than would otherwise occur – pushing rainfall across Africa that had once otherwise traveled southward towards Africa into Sahara regions such as Sudan. The ITCZ pushes precipitation across Sahara regions causing dramatic rainfall events captured by NASA false-color satellite images captured dramatic floods across Africa that created by pushing Atlantic moisture from Atlantic moisture from further north than would normally travel – creating dramatic floods which NASA captured with false-color satellite images captured through false color satellite images captured over Sahara flood zones causing dramatic rainfall events captured in false color images taken over Sahara regions where rainfall has caused widespread floods caused by ITCZ pushing rainfall from Atlantic into Sahara regions where it normally would otherwise travel, creating dramatic floods across Sahara region causing flood waters from Atlantic raindropping onto Africa creating dramatic floods captured in false color satellite images captured false color satellite images by NASA false color satellite images captured false color satellite images captured false color satellite images taken false color satellite images captured captured false color satellite images captured false color satellite images captured in false color satellite.
2. Record Filling of Lake Iriqui
This deluge also replenished large underground aquifers used by desert communities for water supply, while dammed reservoirs across the region recorded record refilling rates throughout September. Abundant waters flowed through Saharan sands and oasis terrain, adding lushness and life to landscapes dotted with castles and desert flora; in communities popular among 4×4 desert vehicle tourists and local residents marvelled at this unprecedented transformation.
Flooding brought both tragedy and benefit; 20 lives were lost between Morocco and Algeria alone due to flooding, as well as damage to farmers’ crops. Furthermore, flooding disrupted migratory wildlife habitats and endangered endemic species resulting in long-term ecological changes within the region.
Floods of such magnitude in the world’s largest hot desert underscore just how vulnerable drylands are as global warming disrupts weather patterns. Covering nearly nine million square kilometers across North, Central and West Africa respectively, The Sahara has long been plagued by periodic droughts as well as extreme weather events caused by climate change; furthermore it’s vulnerable to sea-level rise caused by melting ice sheets.
3. Record Refilling Rates of Reservoirs
September’s intense rain brought unprecedented levels of precipitation to some regions in Morocco. At Tagounite near Rabat alone, more than four inches fell within two days – according to NASA satellite imagery – with Iriqui Lake Bed between Zagora and Tata receiving more water than it had for 50 years! Tourist-favored desert communities saw 4x4s zipping through puddles while local residents looked on in amazement.
Live Science reports that flooding may have been caused by an extratropical cyclone. These weather systems typically form over the Atlantic Ocean and move southward, drawing moisture from equatorial Africa and pulling moisture in.
The Sahara Desert covers 9 million square kilometers across North Africa. With little rainfall every year and depending on groundwater and aquifers to sustain communities, climate change is having an increasing effect in this area, altering how rain-generating systems function and impacting local populations.
4. Deadly Floods
In some places, deluge was deadly: several people perished as floodwaters destroyed villages and submerged cars and trucks according to Reuters.
Southeastern Morocco is one of the driest regions on Earth, but two days in September saw more rainfall than an entire year’s worth, according to estimates from Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology. “This rainfall event has not happened for 30-50 years!” noted Houssine Youabeb from southeastern Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology to The Associated Press (AP).
This unprecedented deluge was caused by an extratropical storm moving north through Africa, pulling moisture from equatorial regions into northern Sahara where such precipitation is not typically seen. Some rain in Sahara occurs each summer but most aren’t associated with an extratropical cyclone like this one was, making this event “unprecedented” and “game-changing,” according to Heggy of Yale Climate Connections unless otherwise indicated. All images via NASA Earth Observatory.