Inclement weather to worsen Tuesday, ministry cancels school nationwide

AMMAN — The impact of the fourth-degree weather depression is expected to deepen on Tuesday, which will be “the coldest day of this year’s winter season”, according to Arabia Weather, a weather forecasting company. 

Schools in the Northeast Badia region closed on Monday afternoon due to weather conditions, and later on the Ministry of Education decided to suspend all classes in schools across the Kingdom on Tuesday. 

A number of universities also announced that operations will be suspended on Tuesday, including the University of Jordan, Yarmouk University, Isra University, the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Al Balqa Applied University and the Hashemite University, according to the Jordan News Agency, Petra. 

The Public Security Directorate announced the temporary closure of the Daba-Qatrana desert highway due to heavy dust, urging the public to exercise the highest degree of caution while driving between governorates, and not to hesitate to dial the unified emergency number (911).

Arabia Weather forecast that temperatures during the day on Tuesday will decrease 7°C to 9°C below their usual level. 

The company’s five-day forecast showed that the highlands, including some neighbourhoods in the capital, Amman, will witness rainfall mixed with snow and sometimes hail, raising water levels and leading to the formation of flash floods in valleys and low-lying areas. 

Arabia Weather also predicted an accumulation of snowfall on highlands over 1,100 metres above sea level before noon on Tuesday, including mountains in Jerash, Ajloun and some parts of Mafraq Governorate.

In the early morning hours, snowfall will possibly extend to and sometimes accumulate on highlands over 1,000 metres above sea level, including areas located in Balqa and west of the capital, Amman, such as Sweileh, Al Jubaiha, Tlaa Al Ali, Dabouq, Abu Alanda and other surrounding areas, the report added. 

In the afternoon, snowfall is expected to be mixed with rain in these areas, according to Arabia Weather. 

At night, these wintery weather conditions gradually extend to Karak Governorate, and later on to Tafilah Governorate, the report showed. 

Extremely cold and stormy weather will prevail in the Kingdom’s southern and eastern regions, accompanied by dust storms and sporadic showers of snow over the Al Sharah mountain range in the South, Arabia Weather reported. 

Moreover, strong westerly winds, sometimes exceeding 100 kilometres per hour, are forecast to stir dust storms in desert areas that received no precipitation, the report added. 

The weather depression is projected to gradually move away from the Kingdom in the afternoon hours on Wednesday. However, temperatures are expected to remain 7°C to 9°C below their usual level during the day, the report continued. 

The Kingdom’s northern and central regions, as well as parts of its southern and eastern regions, will see occasional showers of rain and hail, according to the report. 

Rainfall over the highlands, including some neighbourhoods in the capital, is expected to be mixed with snow on Wednesday, it said.

In the morning hours, highlands over 1,000 metres above sea levels in Balqa, Jarash, Ajloun, Mafraq, western Amman, Karak and Tafileh will wittiness snowfall that at times accumulates and possibly extends to areas with lower elevation for certain periods, the report added. 

The Jordan Metrological Department (JMD) forecast a slight increase in temperatures on Thursday, ranging between a high of 2°C and a low of 6°C.

Partly cloudy and sometimes cloudy weather is forecast to prevail, marked by moderate south-westerly winds with a chance of rainfall in the Kingdom’s northern and central regions, Arabia Weather reported. 

Additionally, the JMD predicted the formation of frost over mountainous highlands and some parts of the Badia area.

The Greater Amman Municipality announced “a state of maximum emergency” on Sunday, urging the public to call 102 or 117180 to request help at anytime. 

It also advised people to stay clear of valleys and low-lying areas, also calling on the public to avoid littering, which carries a risk of blocking rainwater drainage networks.