Relatively hot weather expected for weekend, but no khamsini impact

AMMAN — Relatively hot weather is forecast for the weekend, when temperatures are expected to rise by nine degrees above their annual average for this time of the year, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said on Thursday.

A weak thermal depression accompanied by a relatively hot air mass will affect the country on Friday, according to JMD meteorologist Raed Rafed.

"The weather on Friday and Saturday will be warm in high mountains, and relatively hot in the rest of the country and temperatures will be well-above the annual average for this time of the year of 21ºC," Rafed told The Jordan Times.

Daytime temperatures on Friday will be 29ºC, dropping to 18ºC at night in Amman, while winds will be slow and changing.

Another slight rise in temperatures is forecast for Saturday, when temperatures will range between a high of 30ºC and a low of 20ºC in Amman, according to the JMD.

Rafed noted that although the weather will be hazy on Saturday, the country will not be under the impact of a khamsini depression.

During the khamsini weather phenomenon hot, sand-laden winds, originating from the Atlas Mountains in North Africa, annually move east of the Mediterranean Sea around this time of year and are usually preceded by unseasonably high temperatures, and dry and dusty conditions.

The name of the phenomenon is derived from khamsin — meaning 50 in Arabic — because it usually occurs during a 50-day time frame, from March 21 through May 10. 

Khamsini weather conditions affect the eastern part of the Mediterranean at an average of once a week during this period, according to the JMD.

"Hazy weather is expected on Saturday due to moderate to brisk southwesterly winds, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the country, where road visibility will be up to 3 kilometres," Rafed said.

High-and-medium-altitude clouds are expected to form by Saturday afternoon across the country, giving way to light rain, according to the department, which said that winds will change to northwesterly moderate.

On Sunday, the country will be affected by unstable weather conditions, during which temperatures will remain above the annual average for this time of the year, while skies will be cloudy and scattered showers are forecast, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the country.

Temperatures during the day will be 29ºC, dropping to a low of 15ºC at night in Amman, while winds will be southwesterly moderate to brisk, raising dust in the badia, according to the JMD.