Temperatures to edge closer to zero in last days of 2014 — meteorologist

AMMAN — A Siberian upper-level trough is expected to start affecting the Kingdom on Monday, causing a drop in temperatures, according to the National Weather Forecast Centre.  

Centre Director Hussein Momani said the cold weather is forecast to continue for three days. 

“Temperatures will decrease to reach around zero degrees,” Momani told The Jordan Times over the phone on Sunday. 

He said frost formation is expected in the evening during the coming three days, urging the public to exercise caution. 

Temperatures in Amman on Monday are expected to range between a high of 13°C and a low of 4°C, according to the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD), which also warned of fog formation late at night and early in the morning in hilly areas. 

Momani noted that there is a chance of light rain on Thursday, but stressed that “no major depressions will be affecting the Kingdom by the end of this year.” 

Last week, the 40 coldest days of winter in Jordan, known locally as marbaniyeh, started.

During marbaniyeh, the country typically witnesses several depressions, cold weather, and cold and dry easterly winds, while average temperatures in the capital range between a maximum of 12.7ºC and a minimum of 3.8ºC, according to the JMD.

Several frost spells also take hold of the country due to the near-zero temperatures and very cold easterly winds.

The Kingdom usually gets 30 per cent of its long-term annual average rainfall of 8.3 billion cubic metres during marbaniyeh, which ends on January 30, according to the JMD.