Polar front expected to bring rain, snow later this week

AMMAN — A polar front is expected to affect the Kingdom on Thursday, bringing heavy rain and snow and causing temperatures to dip well below their annual average, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said on Tuesday.

The impact of the polar front is expected to deepen on Friday, JMD meteorologist Raed Rafed said, noting that the weather will start to gradually stabilise as of Saturday night.

“The polar front will cause temperatures to drop nine degrees below their annual average of 13ºC during this time of the year and will also bring snow to areas 1,000 metres above sea level and higher on Friday,” Rafed told The Jordan Times.

On Wednesday, a slight drop in temperatures is expected and the weather will be cold and cloudy with scattered showers in the western and southwestern regions.

Winds will be westerly moderate to brisk at times and temperatures will range between a high of 12ºC and a low of 5ºC at night in Amman, raising dust in the desert, the JMD said.

Another drop in mercury levels is forecast for Thursday, when the “very cold” polar front will take effect, Rafed said.

The weather will be cold and cloudy with rain forecast in the northern and central regions, he added, noting that by night time, rainfall will become heavier and will be accompanied by thunderstorms.

Winds will be westerly brisk and gusty and temperatures will be 9ºC during the day, dropping to 4ºC at night in Amman, the forecaster said.

“The impact of the polar front is expected to deepen on Friday, when a tangible drop in temperatures is forecast. The weather will be very cold and rainy with thunderstorms and snow also expected,” Rafed said.

Daytime temperatures will be 4ºC, dropping to -1ºC in Amman at night, he added.

“The weather on Saturday will remain very cold and cloudy with scattered showers forecast, and snowfall over mountainous areas. But by night time, the impact of the polar front will start to ease off,” Rafed said.