Warm weather expected as spring officially starts

AMMAN — Winter ended on Sunday with the Kingdom’s 10 major dams holding 60 per cent of their total capacity, according to an official.

The dams now hold 197 million cubic metres (mcm) of water, down by 13mcm compared to last year, Jordan Valley Authority Secretary General Saad Abu Hammour told The Jordan Times.

Last year, the 10 major dams received 65 per cent of their total capacity, recording the highest percentage in a decade.

“The wet season is not over yet. There are still chances of rain during this month and in April,” Abu Hammour noted.

Until March 17, the northern governorates received 95 per cent of their long-term annual average of rain, while the western parts of the central region received 104 per cent and the eastern parts received 112 per cent, according to the Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD).

The western parts of the southern region received 83 per cent and its southern areas received 91 per cent of their long-term annual average of rainfall.

The northern region of the Jordan Valley received 78 per cent, the central region received 81 per cent and southern areas 118 per cent.

Monday witnesses the start of the spring solstice or the vernal equinox, marking the beginning of spring and the end of winter in the northern hemisphere.

The spring solstice is marked when the sun becomes vertical over the equator, which makes day and night of equal duration, according to the JMD.

A “weak” depression that started last week is expected to continue affecting the Kingdom on Monday, according to the JMD.

“It will be partially cloudy, with chances of scattered showers in the northern and central parts of the country. Weather will stabilise in the afternoon,” meteorologist Raed Rafed told The Jordan Times over the phone.

He noted that temperatures will be around their annual average of this time of the year, reaching a high of 15°C and a low of 6°C.

Warmer weather conditions are forecast on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“Temperatures will increase slightly on Tuesday, reaching 17°C during the day. On Wednesday, temperatures will reach a high of 23°C, rising 4°C to 7°C above their annual average,” Rafed said.