MOSCOW, March 27 (Xinhua) -- Parts of Russia and Eastern Europe are covered by orange-tinted snow this week, a bizarre weather phenomenon caused by sand blown from the Sahara desert across Europe.

According to meteorologists, storms in northern Africa, which picked up sand, dust, and pollen articles from the Sahara and blew them across the Mediterranean and Europe, turned the snow orange in eastern Europe and Russia by mixing them with snow and rain.

The phenomenon takes place every five years or so, and has occurred in other parts of the world, experts said, adding that this year's sandy snow seems to be sandier.