In September 2024, the Sahara experienced heavy rain in some parts of southeast Morocco. Sahara experiences rain, but usually only a few inches a year.
The rainfall in late summer created a new watery landscape as it carved lakes into the sand dunes. Such rain had not been seen in the area for 30 to 50 years and is estimated to be four times the normal rainfall for this region in September. This unusual weather pattern claimed the lives of at least 18 people across Morocco.
Scientists explained that extreme weather is tied to climate change. As global temperatures rise, seas warm, causing increased evaporations. This increases the humidity in the atmosphere and creates conditions for intense cyclone-like storms.
Global warming is not the only factor. These desert floods are tied to natural oscillation patterns, such as the Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO), which experiences alternating changes in sea temperatures every 60 to 80 years. When it is in its warm phase, it can cause extreme rainfall.
Another factor is the Atlantic Zonal Mode (AZM), the Atlantic Ocean equivalent of El Niño that causes warmer temperatures in the Pacific. The combination of these natural cycles and climate change makes it harder to forecast floods and manage deserts because even small shifts in rainfall can cause severe impacts.
Often, local emergency services are unprepared for such extremes and cannot handle such floods. Local infrastructure is also not prepared for extreme rainfalls. Scientists predict that these desert floods will continue appearing in the coming years as climate change becomes more intense.