Welcome downpour

This time our meteorology authorities got it absolutely right when they predicted heavy rainfall in most areas of the Kingdom beginning Sunday, with the northern region getting the lion’s share.

The Jordan Meteorological Department (JMD) had forecast that a Red Sea depression accompanied by a sudden drop in temperature would bring thunderstorms to many parts of the country. 

Even though the heavy rainfall caused floods and landslides in the northern and southern regions, it was a blessing for many Jordanians, including farmers and olive producers who needed the showers very badly to improve their harvest. 

The precipitation over the past two days also channelled a million cubic metres of water into three of the country’s major dams situated in the north. 

Luckily, the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) was also more than ready this time to face all eventualities associated with the heavy rain, having learned a lesson or two from previous winter storms. GAM was well prepared to deal with the flooded streets and minor traffic jams in some parts of the capital. 

The people of Jordan could hardly wait any longer for relief from the prolonged dry season, especially since the country experienced severe dust storms and unusually high temperatures during the summer this year. 

Heavy rain is expected to continue, bringing with it much needed relief to the entire Kingdom, which ranks as the world’s second water-poorest country, where water per capita is 88 per cent below the international water poverty line of 1,000 cubic metres annually. 

There are great expectations that this year’s winter season will be blessed with many more wet spells, especially since Jordan has become home to so many Syrian refugees which is taxing its natural resources to the limit, especially water.

Available water resources in Jordan offer 800-900 million cubic metres annually, which provide for the needs of only 3 million people, while the number of water users in the Kingdom now exceeds 10 million.