(CNN) — Striking images from the Sahara Desert show large lakes etched into rolling sand dunes after one of the most arid, barren places in the world was hit with its first floods in decades.

In a rare occurrence, heavy rainfall hit the Sahara Desert this month and was captured on satellite imagery showing the unusual weather conditions cast over one the driest regions on the planet.

Rare storms temporarily create lakes in the Sahara desert, revealing surprising moisture pathways and climate connections.