ArabiaWeather pioneers new low pressure index

AMMAN — ArabiaWeather recently released a new low-pressure weather index to alert people of the weather conditions in the Kingdom and what preparations they should take. 

Most weather indexes document and categorise hurricanes. However, according to ArabiaWeather CEO Mohammed Al Shaker, the company developed their own formula to categorise and map depressions which frequently affect Jordan. He added that they were one of the first providers to introduce such an index. 

“We noticed that people were having a hard time predicting [weather conditions in Jordan], sometimes it might be our mistake as forecasters, and companies weren’t able to estimate if conditions were going to be weak, moderate or high,” he told The Jordan Times in an interview at the company’s office in Amman.  

“It is our moral responsibility to do our best to provide the most accurate weather information possible so that no one dies. This is what we do through mobile apps, videos and social media, but that is not enough; you have to educate people,” the young meteorologist said.  

He noted that they came up with the new strategy, which entails indexing low pressure systems, after speaking with several consultants on the most accurate way possible to map such systems. 

“We spent some time working on it, and we reviewed the impacts of low pressure on areas they take place,” he added. 

Shaker said when a hurricane is categorised as a level three or four, people usually evacuate the area, but when it is lower than that they simply prepare. 

“We wanted to create the same reactions from people here,” he added.  

He noted that the index is based on several factors, including the amount of rain in Jordan and neighbouring countries, temperatures as well as the wind conditions.

“Last year we warned that strong wind would affect the country, and unfortunately we did not see a response... so a lot of damage resulted from that,” he recalled.  

“We also provided a brief about each category to help people figure out what they could expect. In each category we try to tell people what they have to do in order to properly prepare for the weather,” he added. 

According to the Jordan News Agency, Petra, ArabiaWeather was honoured at the third annual Arab Social Media Influencers Summit in Dubai on Monday. Sheikh Maktoum Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the deputy ruler of Dubai, presented Shaker with an award for his company’s work in the field of meteorology.