Source: RAMP/SERRA
Source: RAMP/SERRA

We all know that one of the driest places on Earth, where rain falls very rarely and often not a drop of water falls from the sky even for years, desert to the desertHowever, 2024 will be very generous in terms of rainfall, especially inSouthern region The largest desert in the world as shown by NASA satellite images green Very surprising More spacious Compared to the normal situation in the northern direction.

Desert plant life

September 13 images displayed by MODIS satellite In fact, NASA has phrased the situation well. Vegetation Over Africa in its tropical range, it appears to be much larger than usual south of the Sahara due to real storms affecting a normally very dry area, also causing some flooding. The satellite animation is also always updated from Sierra (Cooperative Institute for Atmospheric Research) It actually shows a very intense green color where there should be only sand and rocks.”There isn't much green in the Sahara Desert, but after an unusual flood of rain, the colour can be seen from space creeping into parts of one of the driest places on earth.” Experts explain.

Rainfall north of the equator is heaviest between July and September, but this year the West African monsoon has pushed further north, which is why the southern Sahara is visible from satellites. much greener Even when compared to images taken at the same time last year. In particular, the territories of Niger, Chad, Sudan and even Libya were affected by thunderstorms and clouds.Vegetation extends northward in 2024 in places like Niger and Chad and is most lush just above the equator in places like the Central African Republic. Experts explain.

Northern Niger
Northern Niger is unusually green. Source: Modi

What are the causes?

To try to give some answers CNN There may be a basis, explained Carsten Husten, a climate researcher at the University of Leipzig in Germany. Two reasons Due to the northward movement of rain.there transmission From the El Niño phenomenon In La Niña It has affected the northward movement of phenomena this summer. El Niño, a natural weather pattern characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific, typically leads to drier-than-normal conditions in the humid regions of West and Central Africa. “La Niña could have the opposite effect.”.

As for the second answer, I attributed it to climate change, which is called “Orbital convergence“This is why it rains so much across the equator, in Africa, and there is so much green space,”Yes move north As the world gets warmer. That's what most models suggest.“A study published in the journal nature The June report highlighted that these northward shifts of the tropical belt could occur more frequently over the next two decades.

Data recorded in July showed that the arid areas in the above countries received 400% increase in rainfall Compared to averages.

“More research will be needed to determine exactly what role climate change played in each individual flood event, but it could be a sign of things to come.“It's a great honor,” Hausten concluded.