Jordan braces for harsh weather

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour on Tuesday announced that all public agencies will be off on Wednesday as a snowstorm is expected to affect the country.

Similar announcements were made by officials and university presidents putting studies and examinations on hold during the extreme weather conditions expected for the coming three days.

The government’s holiday decision was taken in response to calls by various sectors who urged authorities to avoid a repeat of the chaotic scenes and incidents witnessed during a snowstorm which paralysed the country for several days at the beginning of last winter.

HRH Crown Prince Hussein on Tuesday visited the headquarters of the Civil Defence Department (CDD), where he was briefed by its director, General Talal Kofahi, on the agency’s preparedness for the extreme weather conditions.

The Crown Prince, who conveyed His Majesty King Abdullah’s greetings to CDD personnel, stressed that all parts of the country, including remote areas have access to all kinds of services needed under the expected conditions, according to the Royal Court.

A state of maximum alert was declared, as temperatures are expected to drop 10°C-13°C below their annual average during this time of the year of 13°C, while snow is expected in areas located 700 metres above sea level and higher, which includes the capital, the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) said on Tuesday.

A very cold polar front accompanied by a depression started affecting the country on Tuesday, according to the JMD, which said that the combined weather conditions will be most severe on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

“The impact of the polar front will continue until Saturday. During this week, there will be heavy downpours, snow accumulation starting Wednesday afternoon and snowfall at times on Friday and Saturday,” JMD Director General Mohammad Samawi told The Jordan Times over the phone.

“The weather will start to stabilise as of Sunday,” Samawi noted.

 Meanwhile, the Greater Amman Municipality announced on Tuesday a state of maximum alert in preparation for the blizzard.

The expected freezing temperatures will endanger crops and cattle if farmers do not take precautionary measures, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

Farmers in the Jordan Valley should warm up greenhouses during the day and close them at night to preserve the heat, an official said, adding that when temperatures dip to around zero, they should also burn dry grass near the crops and slightly water crops to minimise the impact of frost spells.

Officials have advised citizens not to leave their homes except under very urgent conditions, as cars might become stuck in snow and block roads.

Meanwhile, CDD said it would contact kidney patients to transfer them to hospitals for their scheduled dialysis during the blizzard. 

The engineering association and a leading businessman have announced that they would be helping authorities open blocked roads.