'Wet season brings 80 per cent of annual average rainfall so far'

AMMAN — Eighty per cent of the Kingdom's long-term annual average rainfall of 8 billion cubic metres has been achieved since the start of the wet season, an official said on Monday.

By Monday morning, Jordan had received 6.638 billion cubic metres of rainwater, according to an official at the Water Ministry, who noted that Ajloun Governorate received the most rain between Sunday and Monday morning — an amount of 46 millimetres (mm).

Figures from the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) indicate that Sweileh in north Amman received 37.2mm, the University of Jordan area 32mm, Madaba Governorate 27mm, Salt in Balqa Governorate 25mm, Shobak in Maan Governorate 24.6mm and Arrabeh in Karak Governorate 22.9mm.

The department said that until Monday morning, the eastern region of the Kingdom, including Safawi, Rweished and Azraq, received no rainfall, as well as Jafer and Aqaba in the south.

The Water Ministry said on Monday, in a statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, that the Kingdom's 10 major dams are now 59 per cent full, holding 191.94 million cubic metres (mcm) out of a total capacity of 325mcm.

The rainy and cold weather is the result of a cold air mass that started affecting the country on Sunday, bringing a significant amount of rain, especially to the northern and central regions.

Heavy downpour on Monday morning left many streets in Amman flooded with rainwater and caused two traffic lights in Sweileh and downtown Amman to malfunction.

Izzedin Shammout, spokesperson of the Greater Amman Municipality, said the two traffic lights were fixed promptly, noting that traffic police handled traffic movement in both locations while the lights were being fixed.

"The rain caused slow traffic movement on the streets of the capital but didn’t inundate any tunnels. Amman's problems during rain are aggravated by the fact that many households still link their drainpipes to wastewater manholes, causing them to overflow and flood the streets," Shammout told The Jordan Times.

A slight rise in temperatures is forecast for Tuesday, but the weather will remain cold and partly cloudy with chances of rain showers during the day, according to the JMD.

Temperatures will be three degrees below their annual average of 15ºC for this time of the year, while winds will be northwesterly moderate to brisk. Daytime temperatures will be 12ºC, dropping to a low of 6ºC at night in Amman.

A rise in temperatures is expected for Wednesday, when the weather will be relatively cold, but fair in Aqaba and the Jordan Valley. 

Temperatures will range between a maximum of 17ºC and a minimum of 7ºC in Amman, while winds will be southwesterly moderate turning to southeasterly moderate to slow at night, the JMD said.

A further rise in temperatures is forecast for Thursday, the JMD added, noting that winds will remain southeasterly moderate, while mercury levels will range between a high of 20ºC and a low of 8ºC at night in Amman.