Lakes appearing in the Sahara desert captured in satellite images after a cyclone dumped a years' worth of rain on northern Africa in just a few days.

Meteorologists referred to the phenomenon as an extratropical storm, and experts believe it could have long-term implications for the region's climate.

Satellite images captured the astonishing rebirth of Lake Iriqui, a dry lake bed untouched by water for half a century, now refilled in the wake of the deluge.

An unusual early September cyclone drenched large parts of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya, filling dry lakes and rivers. New satellite imagery from NASA shows the impact of the deluge.

The arid region sometimes develops lakes after heavy rain, hinting at how the desert may have once had a different climate.