Depression expected to bring rain, thunderstorms as of Saturday

AMMAN — A depression is expected to start affecting the Kingdom on Saturday, bringing rain and thunderstorms to different parts of the country, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said on Thursday.

The expected depression will end a week-long frost spell, during which temperatures dipped to a low of -5ºC in the Jordan Valley, damaging thousands of dunums of vegetables.

Relatively cold weather is forecast on Friday, when winds will be southwesterly moderate, JMD meteorologist Abdul Munem Qaralleh said, noting that frost formation is forecast in the badia, mountainous areas and northern parts of the Jordan Valley.

Temperatures on Friday will be 15ºC during the day, dropping to 4ºC at night in the capital, according to the department.

A slight drop in mercury levels is expected on Saturday, when the weather will be relatively cold, Qaralleh said.

"The depression is expected to start affecting the Kingdom starting Saturday night, when the weather will become cloudy," he told The Jordan Times.

Rain and thunderstorms are forecast on Saturday night, when winds will be southwesterly moderate to brisk at times, the meteorologist said.

Daytime temperatures will be 14ºC, dropping to 6ºC at night in Amman, the weather forecaster said.

"During the expected depression, the public is urged to avoid low lying areas due to the possibility of floods, while motorists are urged to exercise caution while driving due to expected fog formation," Qaralleh said.

Another slight drop in temperatures is expected on Sunday, when the weather will be cold and cloudy, with rain and thunder expected, particularly in the morning, he added.

"Temperatures on Sunday will be four degrees below their annual average for this time of the year. Daytime temperatures will be 11ºC, dropping to a low of 4ºC, while winds will be northwesterly moderate to brisk," Qaralleh said.