Hot weather to continue until Sunday as seasonal depression takes effect — JMD

AMMAN — Temperatures are expected to rise later this week by five degrees above their annual average of 32°C, as the Kingdom will be affected by a seasonal Indian depression, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said on Monday. 

The impact of the depression will start on Thursday, as temperatures gradually rise, meteorologist Samer Hindi said, noting that the hot spell will continue until Sunday.

“The weather will become hot and dry across the country and temperatures are expected to peak on Friday,” Hindi told The Jordan Times.

Mercury levels on Thursday will be 36°C during the day, dropping to 24°C at night in the capital, and winds will be northwesterly moderate to brisk at times, according to the JMD.

“A further rise in temperatures is forecast for Friday, when mercury levels will reach 37°C during the day,” Hindi noted.

The hot and dry weather will continue on Saturday and Sunday, when temperatures will be 36°C during the day and 24°C at night in Amman.

“The impact of the depression is expected to ease off starting Sunday, as temperatures will start to gradually drop, but the weather will remain relatively hot,” Hindi noted.

Health experts urge people during the hot season to drink plenty of water or fruit juice, avoid alcohol, tea and coffee as these can lead to further dehydration, ensure rooms are well-ventilated and take regular cold showers.

The public is also advised against going out during the hottest part of the day, from 1pm to 3pm.

Although the impact of the seasonal Indian depression is forecast to start on Thursday, relatively hot weather is also expected for Tuesday and Wednesday, when daytime temperatures will be 35°C, dropping to a low of 22°C-24°C at night in Amman, while winds will be northwesterly moderate to brisk.

Hindi said temperatures during Eid Al Fitr holiday were around their annual average for this time of the year, noting that they ranged between 32°C and 34°C.

The relatively hot weather kept many people indoors during the day to avoid exposure to the sun, causing traffic congestion across the capital at night, when temperatures drop.

Haya Al Muhsen, a mother of two boys and a girl, said the hot weather during Eid Al Fitr holiday, which was Friday through Monday, kept many people from visiting each other during the day.

“We usually start visiting our relatives right after lunch, but this time we preferred to wait for the weather to cool off,” Muhsen said.

The capital’s streets were relatively vacant at daytime during the holiday, according to Anas Omar, who said that because many people avoided the hot weather during the day, the streets at night were full of cars.

“On the second day of Eid, my family and I wanted to go out for a late dinner at a restaurant on Medina Munawara Street, which is close to our house. The trip usually takes a maximum of 15 minutes, but this time it took us an hour-and-a-half because of the traffic congestion,” Omar said.