Heavy rain forecast this week

AMMAN — A cold air mass is forecast to start affecting the country on Sunday, causing heavy rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to drop on Sunday evening, with dust in the early morning hours followed by heavy rain at night, starting from the southern region and later spreading to the central and northern areas, JMD forecaster Raed Rafed said.

Temperatures in Amman on Sunday will range between a maximum of 24°C and a minimum of 13°C, while the badia will witness a maximum of 24°C and Aqaba and the Dead Sea a maximum of 30°C, according to the JMD.

Rafed noted that the rainfall is forecast to continue on Monday. “On Monday, heavy rain, as well as thunder and lightning, will be witnessed in different areas in Jordan, where floods are expected to occur,” he told The Jordan Times.

The maximum temperature in the capital and the badia is expected to reach 21°C on Monday, compared with 27°C in the Dead Sea and 29°C in Aqaba. 

Rafed said the impact of the depression is forecast to continue until Tuesday, with maximum temperatures of 18°C in Amman, 21°C in the badia, and around 28°C in Aqaba and the Dead Sea.

The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) has cleaned the drainage system and prepared several rescue teams to respond to emergency calls during the unstable weather, a GAM official said.

Izz Eddin Shammout, the municipality’s deputy director for administrative affairs, told The Jordan Times that GAM is prepared to deal with any emergencies caused by the depression.

“The municipality is all set for the upcoming weather conditions, especially after the rainfall two weeks ago,” he said.

The heavy downpour caused flash floods in Amman that led to the death of four people, including two children.

According to Shammout, municipality workers built concrete barriers around empty plots of land to prevent the formation of streams that flooded the capital and surrounding areas.

 “Police patrols will be deployed near tunnels in the capital and other governorates to monitor the level of water in the underpasses and take the necessary measures in case of flooding,” he added.

Shammout said in case of emergencies and severe weather conditions, schools and universities can help by either delaying classes or suspending them as a way of “warning” people and avoiding traffic jams and accidents.

Lt. Raed Abboushi from the Civil Defence Department’s (CDD) media office said the department is equipped to respond immediately to emergency cases.

CDD Media Director Brig. Gen. Farid Sharaa told The Jordan Times the siren system will be used in case of extreme emergencies.

GAM and CDD urged the public to call their centres in case of an emergency on 5359970, 5359971, 0798166789 and 911.