In this segment of Weather Karaoke, AccuWeather's Aeriella Scalese discusses where and when snowfall is most likely across the continent of Africa.
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00:00And welcome to our special holiday edition of Weather Karaoke, where we dive deeper into
00:10the meteorological beating behind popular lyrics.
00:13We're taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane to explore the iconic Christmas song
00:17that touched millions of hearts worldwide.
00:20By the way, the song is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
00:24The powerful lyrics and haunting melody struck a chord with listeners around the world, highlighting
00:28the stark contrast between the festive celebrations in the West and the dire conditions in Ethiopia.
00:35So today on Weather Karaoke, we are asking, will there be snow in Africa this Christmas?
00:40Well, snowfall in Africa is more likely during the winter months, which vary depending on
00:44the region.
00:45Morocco is in the northern hemisphere, so winter is from December to February.
00:50During this period, higher elevations in the Atlas Mountains are more likely to experience
00:55snowfall.
00:57At the equatorial region, snow can occur any time of year at the very high elevations,
01:01such as the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, due to its permanent glaciers.
01:05In South Africa, winter is from June to August, so snowfall is more common in the high-altitude
01:10areas, such as Drakensbergs Mountain, during these months.
01:13It can also snow in Ethiopia.
01:16And back in November, it was actually South Africa that received its first November snowfall
01:21in 85 years.
01:22It was from a low-pressure system that brought cold air, heavy rain, and yes, snow.
01:28This was a very unusual event, since November is considered late spring and is part of the
01:33southern hemisphere.
01:35The weather pattern for Christmas week, I had a touch base here with our international
01:39team to help me with this one, and it shows that there's likely going to be a strong ridge
01:43over Western Europe next week, with a closed low over Southeast Europe.
01:48So Morocco and Algeria can actually be milder than normal, with any cold air moving over
01:53Libya and Egypt, closer to that upper low.
01:56So will there be snow in Africa this Christmas?
02:00Earlier in the week, it looked like there may have been a chance in the Atlas Mountains,
02:04but the answer is, well, probably not.
02:08Unlike some DJs, I am taking requests.
02:10What songs about weather do you want me to dive into?
02:14You can email them to me at ariella.scalise at accuweather.com, or if you're on social
02:19media, you can message me there.