WASM - The Kingdom is expected to be affected by a "strong" polar wave with high humidity and atmospheric activity starting from late Wednesday/Thursday night until at least the end of next week, reaching its peak intensity from the end of this week until mid-next week, coinciding with heavy rainfall in low-lying areas and snow in elevated and mountainous regions.
Unstable weather on Monday and stable Tuesday|
Weather disturbance will continue on Monday, particularly in the central, northern and eastern regions of the Kingdom, accompanied by thunderstorm rainfall at times and active winds occasionally, with continued cold weather.
Weather will stabilize on Tuesday with temperatures rising slightly to exceed their seasonal averages marginally, and conditions will tend to be warm during midday hours in most areas, although this stability will not last long.
The polar wave begins Thursday and continues "for a long time" and intensifies end of week|
Clouds will increase on Wednesday with light rainfall, with the polar wave's effect beginning gradually during Wednesday/Thursday night, and rainfall starting from the north of the Kingdom extending to the rest of the western regions gradually, with expected intensification of this rainfall and precipitation to become heavy.
Very cold polar wind gusts will increase Thursday evening, and rainfall will turn into snowfall over high mountains with expectations of continued deepening of this polar wave gradually.
Atmospheric humidity will increase during the end of the week and weather will become much colder, leading to intensification of rainfall in low-lying areas and snowfall in mountainous and elevated regions including the capital Amman.
The polar wave "high humidity and activity"|
As a result of its advancement over the eastern Mediterranean, the humidity of the polar air mass increases, especially with the deepening of a deep air depression near Lebanese coasts, positioning this air depression further toward southern Lebanon in conjunction with this polar wave, which contributes to the polar wave deepening further toward the eastern Mediterranean during the beginning and middle of next week with intensified rainfall and snowfall, with details to be issued continuously.
The polar wave "very cold" and extremely low temperatures|
As a result of its advancement directly from the Arctic region toward the eastern Mediterranean basin and the Kingdom, it is expected to coincide with very low temperatures that may reach -5 degrees Celsius on the peaks of the capital and lower than that in high mountains with intensified activity, and this will coincide with high humidity and heavy precipitation.
WASM Regional Center will issue more precise details, particularly regarding the snow accumulation level and possible snow depths during the impact of the strong polar wave with high humidity and activity.
Intensification of the climate phenomenon "Seasonal Shifting"|
This phenomenon is called "Seasonal Shifting," which stems from climatic changes affecting the region, having caused the intensification of this phenomenon in recent years, where it was found that more than 75% of rainfall in recent years has been delayed to the second half of the rainy season compared to 46% before climatic changes.
This phenomenon has also caused increased rainfall rates and a rise in the rate of extreme winter or snow storms, and an increased chance of large rainfall amounts falling in shorter time periods. This phenomenon was very evident in the 2022-2023 season, where more than 90% of the rainy season fell in some areas during the second half of that season and rainfall continued until mid-June, recording an increase of around 40-70% above seasonal averages in most areas.
Jordan has not suffered from any shortage in rainfall quantities in recent years, but rather changes in the nature of rainy seasons and their intensification and increased rainfall rates by more than 60%.