Tinagame
Technology

Rare dusting of snow covers one of the driest places on Earth and shuts down massive radio telescope — Earth from space

· 5 min read
Rare dusting of snow covers one of the driest places on Earth and shuts down massive radio telescope — Earth from space
  1. Planet Earth
  2. Weather
Rare dusting of snow covers one of the driest places on Earth and shuts down massive radio telescope — Earth from space

Features By Harry Baker published 23 December 2025

A satellite photo from July shows intricate snowy stripes painted across the Atacama Desert in Chile. The icy weather temporarily put the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory into "survival mode."

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

A satellite photo of a desert covered in streaks of white snow The Atacama desert is widely considered to be one of the driest places on Earth. But in July, large parts of the region experienced a thick dusting of snow. (Image credit: NASA/Landsat 9) Share Share by:
  • Copy link
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Whatsapp
  • Reddit
  • Flipboard
Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter QUICK FACTS

Where is it? Atacama Desert, Chile

What's in the photo? A rare dusting of snow covers parts of one of the driest places on Earth

Which satellite took the photo? Landsat 9

When was it taken? July 10, 2025

This striking satellite photo captured a rare spectacle earlier this year, when "one of the driest places on Earth" experienced a rare snowstorm. This freak event temporarily turned the barren, rocky landscape white — and briefly shut down one of the world's most powerful radio telescopes.

The desert is also widely considered to be one of the driest places on Earth, alongside other hyperarid spots, such as Antarctica and the Sahara. Some areas currently experience as little as 0.002 inches (0.5 millimeters) of rain annually, according to Guinness World Records. Previous research has hinted that parts of the Atacama went nearly 400 years without any recorded rain, between 1570 and 1971.

You may like
  • A satellite photo showing the stark contrast between a field of orange star dunes and a barren rocky wilderness split half-and-half across the image Sea of Saharan 'star dunes' clashes with otherworldly terrain where 2 countries meet
  • An astronaut photo of three dark mesas, partially surrounded by orange sand dunes Trio of 'black mesas' leftover from Paleozoic era spawn rare sand dunes in the Sahara
  • An astronaut photo of a perfectly white lake in Yellowstone National Park Deep snow blanket transforms Yellowstone Lake into a giant white void

On June 25, a rare snowstorm hit Atacama after a "cold-core cyclone" unexpectedly drifted down from the north, covering over half the desert with white powder, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

The satellite photo above shows a section of the desert in the Chajnantor Plateau, which rises to around 16,000 feet (5,000 meters) above sea level. This area is home to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory — an array of more than 50 radio dishes that scour the "Dark Universe." (ALMA itself is not visible in the aerial photo.)

Photo of snow in the Atacama desert taken by the roadside

Snowfall in the Atacama is very rare. This photo shows the area surrounding ALMA after a similar event in 2013. (Image credit: Ronald Patrick/Getty Images)

This area is well-suited to astronomical research because it is remote, dry and well-elevated, which reduces interference and maximizes the amount of data telescopes like ALMA can collect. But when the snow settled over the observatory, it temporarily forced ALMA into "survival mode," meaning that the dishes were repositioned to stop them from accumulating snow, halting observations.

The icy dust may have also affected the Southern Astrophysical Research (SOAR) Telescope, located around 530 miles (850 km) southwest of ALMA, but to a lesser extent, according to Live Science's sister site Space.com. The newly constructed Vera C. Rubin Observatory is also located in Atacama, near the SOAR telescope, but was not affected by the storm.

Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter nowContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The snow did not last long, and most of it had disappeared by July 16. In some places, the sunlight was so intense that the snow likely sublimated, or turned directly from solid to gas, before it melted, according to the Earth Observatory.

This is not the first time that snow has fallen in the Atacama. Similar events also occurred in 2011, 2013 and 2021.

The region has also experienced several intense bouts of rain in recent years. When this happens, it can trigger deadly mudflows. In March 2015, at least 31 people were killed after heavy rainfall triggered Atacama's largest ever flood, according to a 2016 study.

You may like
  • A satellite photo showing the stark contrast between a field of orange star dunes and a barren rocky wilderness split half-and-half across the image Sea of Saharan 'star dunes' clashes with otherworldly terrain where 2 countries meet
  • An astronaut photo of three dark mesas, partially surrounded by orange sand dunes Trio of 'black mesas' leftover from Paleozoic era spawn rare sand dunes in the Sahara
  • An astronaut photo of a perfectly white lake in Yellowstone National Park Deep snow blanket transforms Yellowstone Lake into a giant white void

Security camera photo of the ALMA dishes during the snowstorm

ALMA was forced into "survival mode" as snow fell on its array of radio dishes. This meant realigning the dishes to be perpendicular to the ground to stop snow gathering on them. (Image credit: ALMA)

Rain can also cause desert flowers, which normally appear in spring, to unexpectedly bloom during winter months, creating fields of vibrant petals to sprout up around the desert. This most recently happened in 2024, after a surprise rain shower caught the plants off guard.

MORE EARTH FROM SPACE

—Giant 'chessboard' surrounds Idaho river in bizarre astronaut photo

—10 bizarre 'dark voids' appear in the skies over uninhabited island near Antarctica

—World's largest iceberg, A23a, is disintegrating into thousands of pieces alongside penguin refuge

Precipitation is rare in the Atacama for two reasons. Firstly, it sits within the "rain shadow" of the Andes, which block clouds moving in from the east. And second, cold ocean currents off the region's western Pacific coastline prevent water from evaporating into the air over the desert. This makes Atacama inhospitable to most lifeforms, aside from hardy desert flowers and extreme microbes that live well below its dry surface.

However, the recent instances of extreme precipitation in the region could be a sign that human-caused climate change is making it more likely for snow and rain to fall there. If this continues, the Atacama may one day no longer be one of the driest places on Earth.

For more incredible satellite photos and astronaut images, check out our Earth from space archives.

TOPICS Earth from space Harry BakerHarry BakerSocial Links NavigationSenior Staff Writer

Harry is a U.K.-based senior staff writer at Live Science. He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to become a journalist. He covers a wide range of topics including space exploration, planetary science, space weather, climate change, animal behavior and paleontology. His recent work on the solar maximum won "best space submission" at the 2024 Aerospace Media Awards and was shortlisted in the "top scoop" category at the NCTJ Awards for Excellence in 2023. He also writes Live Science's weekly Earth from space series.

Show More Comments

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Logout Read more A satellite photo showing the stark contrast between a field of orange star dunes and a barren rocky wilderness split half-and-half across the image Sea of Saharan 'star dunes' clashes with otherworldly terrain where 2 countries meet    An astronaut photo of three dark mesas, partially surrounded by orange sand dunes Trio of 'black mesas' leftover from Paleozoic era spawn rare sand dunes in the Sahara    An astronaut photo of a perfectly white lake in Yellowstone National Park Deep snow blanket transforms Yellowstone Lake into a giant white void    A satellite photo of mountainous jungle with a barren, pale mountain situated in the center of the frame Extreme 'paradise' volcano in Costa Rica is like a piece of ancient Mars on our doorstep    An astronaut photo of a volcanic caldera with a skull like shape Glowering 'skull' stares upward from a giant volcanic pit in the Sahara    Composite of the first four images in this list. Best space photos of 2025    Latest in Weather Two men, one of them the foreman of Greenland Ranch in Death Valley in the early 1900s, stand in front of the ranch. Death Valley's 'world's hottest temperature' record may be due to a human error    A photograph of a blurry red ring of light in the night sky above a town in Italy Bizarre, UFO-like halo of red light appears over small Italian town — for the second time in 3 years    A satellite photo of Mississippi showing two parallel tornado tracks carved through farmland Twin tornadoes tear perfectly parallel tracks through Mississippi during deadly 'superstorm'    an aerial view of downtown Calgary, Alberta, covered in snow Why do European cities have milder winters than those in North America, despite being at the same latitude?    A satellite image of Hurricane Melissa over the Caribbean Watch Air Force fly inside the eye of Hurricane Melissa as experts warn 'storm of the century' will be catastrophic for Jamaica    Gif showing satellite imagery of tropical storm Melissa. 'Near stationary' Tropical Storm Melissa is moving slower than a person walking — and it may bring deadly flash floods to the Caribbean    Latest in Features Photo of the found skull against a black background Science history: Anthropologist sees the face of the 'Taung Child' — and proves that Africa was the cradle of humanity — Dec. 23, 1924    Young girl checking her height on the wall What's the fastest a human can grow?    A Pair of Galactic Cornucopia (Webb + Chandra) Glittering new James Webb telescope image shows an 'intricate web of chaos' — Space photo of the week    illustration of spacecraft nearing a green comet Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is rapidly moving away from us. Can we 'intercept' it before it leaves us forever?    Venus and crescent moon next to each other. Why is Venus so bright?    A satellite photo of a desert covered in streaks of white snow Rare dusting of snow covers one of the driest place on Earth and shuts down massive radio telescope    LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Photo of the found skull against a black background1Science history: Anthropologist sees the face of the 'Taung Child' — and proves that Africa was the cradle of humanity — Dec. 23, 1924
  2. 22,300-year-old Celtic gold coins found in Swiss bog
  3. 3Best space photos of 2025
  4. 43,300-year-old cremations found in Scotland suggest the people died in a mysterious catastrophic event
  5. 5Scientists claim 'Lucy' may not be our direct ancestor after all, stoking fierce debate

Related Reading