Cloudy, rainy weather forecast this week

AMMAN — The Kingdom will remain under the impact of a depression and a cold air mass which will bring below-average temperatures, rain and thunderstorms on Sunday, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said on Saturday.

The depression, centred over the Egyptian coast, will start affecting the southern region and move gradually to the northern and central regions, a JMD meteorologist said, noting that its impact will be limited to the eastern parts of the Kingdom.

The combined weather conditions were expected to start Saturday night, the weather forecaster said, noting that the weather will start to stabilise on Monday night.

A drop in temperatures is forecast for Sunday, when temperatures will be four degrees below their annual average of 15ºC for this time of the year, the meteorologist told The Jordan Times, noting that the depression and the cold air mass will end a week-long frost spell which brought temperatures to zero in Amman and -5ºC in the usually warm Jordan Valley.

The weather on Sunday will be cloudy and rainy, the forecaster said, adding that rain will be heavy at times and accompanied by thunder, lightning and hail, especially in hilly areas.

Daytime temperatures will be 11ºC, dropping to a low of 5ºC at night in the capital, while winds will be northwesterly moderate to brisk.

"By Sunday night, rainfall will become less heavy, but fog formation is expected in hilly areas," the meteorologist said.

The department issued several weather-related warnings to the public, urging people to avoid low-lying areas due to possible formation of flash floods, low road visibility due to fog and slippery roads due to rain.

Cold and cloudy weather is forecast for Monday, when temperatures will remain below their annual average for this time of the year, according to the JMD, which said that light rain is forecast, especially in the western region.

"On Monday night, the impact of the combined weather condition will start to ease off, but fog formation in the badia and southern mountains is expected," the meteorologist noted.

Temperatures will range between a high of 11ºC and a low of 4ºC in the capital, while winds will be northwesterly moderate to brisk, turning at night to southwesterly.

Relatively cold and partly cloudy weather is forecast for Tuesday, when a slight rise in mercury levels is expected, according to the weather forecaster, who said that temperatures will be 13ºC during the day and 5ºC at night in Amman, while winds will be southwesterly moderate.