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Here’s why the snow in Russia turned orange

Here’s why the snow in Russia turned orange

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Sochi looks like Mars

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The city of Sochi in Russia is known for hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, but for the past few days, the resort city has been notable for another reason: its mountains are dusty red and look like the surface of Mars.

Winds have carried sand from the Sahara desert in North Africa to Eastern Europe, UK meteorologist Steven Keates told The Independent. The dust, mixing with storm and rain, has turned the snow various shades of red and orange. According to CNN, the sandstorm went from North Africa to Greece before heading to Eastern Europe, and it could even be seen in footage from NASA’s Terra satellite.

A dust plume (light brown) moves from North Africa into Greece on Thursday, March 22nd, 2018. The storm passed through Greece before moving to Eastern Europe.
A dust plume (light brown) moves from North Africa into Greece on Thursday, March 22nd, 2018. The storm passed through Greece before moving to Eastern Europe.
Image: NASA

Some of the most stunning photos are from Russia, but the phenomenon has also been sighted in Bulgaria, Romania, and Ukraine this week. According to the BBC, this happens about every five years. Here are some photos that users have posted on social media.