Sahara Desert in Algeria covered in up to 15 inches of SNOW as the next little ice age begins

More than 15 inches has blanketed sand dunes across the small town of Ain Sefra, Algeria.

It is the second time snow has hit in nearly 40 years, with a dusting also recorded in December 2016.

But this snowfall which hit yesterday, is much deeper than the fleeting shower little more than a year ago.

Locals, who endure temperatures of 37C in summer, were stunned as dense snow settled on the town, known as ‘the gateway to the desert’.

Before last year, snow was last seen in Ain Sefra on February 18, 1979, when the snow storm lasted just half an hour.

The only question is, how long before the Laurentian Ice Sheet begins reforming?

The town's normal appearance.