Snow on the High-Atlas Mountains
Early winter in north-western Africa is marked by the arrival of Atlantic weather systems that bring cooler air, increased cloud cover, and the first significant precipitation of the season. As these systems interact with the region’s varied terrain, they frequently produce episodes of heavy rain in lowland areas and snowfall across the mountain ranges, signalling the transition to winter conditions.
On 2 December 2025, one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites acquired an image of the snow on the High-Atlas Mountains in Morocco. A broad band of fresh snow is visible in bright white along the mountain crest, contrasting with the surrounding ochre and red tones of the plains.
Copernicus open data supports snow cover monitoring and the assessment of evolving winter conditions in a region increasingly affected by climate variability. These data contribute to improved natural resource management and local resilience planning.
