Jordan: An evaluation of the performance of the 2023/2024 rainy season in various regions of the Kingdom

Arabia Weather - The department responsible for monitoring climate data at the Regional Arabia Weather Center issued an extensive evaluation study on the performance of the last rainy season for the year 2023/2024, which ended climatically in the Kingdom. In this study, we will put in your hands a comprehensive and comprehensive assessment of the performance of the rainy season, which can be said to have been Distinctive in the agricultural areas of the north and center of the Kingdom, and in complete contrast in the agricultural areas and dams in the south.

First: A general description of the behavior of the rainy season and the nature of the weather patterns that affected the Kingdom during the 2023/2024 season.

Specialists at the Arab Regional Weather Center said, after monitoring the rainy season and the behavior of weather systems, that the Kingdom was exposed to several weather patterns during the rainy season, some of which are usual in the spring and fall months and not in the winter months, as Jordan was exposed during the winter months to unusual activity and interference of the Red Sea low with the winter systems. (Atmospheric depressions and cold air masses), which, after God’s will, produced several cases of atmospheric instability with complex characteristics that brought thunderstorms on more than one occasion, which enhanced the supply of rain totals along with the rain totals that resulted from the depressions.

On a related level, the Kingdom was affected by a good number of weather depressions, but it was not mature enough or had scientifically complete characteristics to be classified as a very advanced degree, such as the fourth degree. Most of them ranged within the framework of the second degree, and some of them carried the third degree, but despite that, they were not mature in terms of All the characteristics, but it was characterized by some strong weather events that required raising the classification levels.

Second: Evaluating the reality and performance of the 2023/2024 rainy season

To evaluate the reality and performance of the 2023/2024 rainy season (climatically, the rainy season begins in Jordan at the beginning of October and ends in the middle of May, including three months of winter, which are months 12, 1, and 2). We must look at Several axes:

The number of weather depressions that affected the Kingdom in the 2023/2024 rainy season

The Arabia Weather Center collected data related to the number of depressions that affected the Kingdom during the past rainy season, through which it was found that Jordan was affected in the 2023/2024 season by a depression of the first degree (the weakest), while it was affected by “10” depressions of the second degree (winter). Regular depressions) and two third-class depressions (which include depressions whose intensity ranges between medium and highly effective), while fourth-degree depressions were absent from the Kingdom this season, as we mentioned above, due to the insufficient maturity of the depressions to be within this level of classification, and of course since the issuance of The classification: We were not exposed to any weather depression of the fifth degree, because this degree includes only exceptional storms, for example, not the Alexa storm classification.

Comparing the number of weather depressions for the 2023/2024 rainy season and comparing it to previous seasons

When comparing the number of weather depressions for the past rainy season and comparing them with the last two seasons, we find that this season has witnessed an increase in the number of classified weather depressions compared to the previous season and somewhat close to the season that preceded it, without taking into account other rain events that affected the Kingdom or even the degree of classification.

• Season 2023/2024

• First: 1
• Second: 10
• Third: 2
• Fourth: none
• Fifth: None

Total: (13)

• Season 2021/2022

• First: (1)
• Second: (7)
• Third: (4)
• Fourth: (1)

Total: (13)

• Season 2022/2023

• First: (none)
• Second: (4)
• Third: (4)
• Fourth: (1)
• Fifth: (None)

Total: (9)

The rain performance of the governorates relative to what is assumed until 5/7/2024:

Forecasters at the Arabia Weather Center said that by comparing what was achieved in terms of the actual amount of rain falling in this rainy season with what is supposed to fall, which is calculated based on the average rainfall during the past thirty years, they found that the performance of the rainy season up to this moment is as follows:

Exceeding the default totals:

Irbid city by 115%, followed by Ajloun Governorate by 121%, then the Authority by 103%, Zarqa by 139%, Mafraq by 105%, Northern Jordan Valley 128%, Central Jordan Valley 103%, then Southern Jordan Valley 138%.

About the assumed totals: from 70-100

The city of Ramtha at 80%, then the King Hussein Gardens area at 98%, and Amman Civil Airport at 85%, followed by Madaba at 75%, Queen Alia International Airport at 95%, then Ma’an at 90%.

Much lower than the assumed totals:

Jerash by 60%, Safawi by 64%, Tafila by 52%, Wadi Musa, which has recorded a very bad season so far, with 15% of what is supposed to rain on it, and finally Aqaba by 62%.

The amount of rainfall achieved in relation to the entire annual rainfall average:

When comparing what was achieved in terms of the actual amount of rain falling in this rainy season with the entire annual rainfall average (which ended in the middle of May), we find that the northern and central-eastern regions, in addition to all the Jordan Valley regions, achieved and exceeded their annual average, but approached their average, for example in The central-western and eastern regions, in addition to the south-eastern regions, while the entire southwestern regions, including Aqaba, are suffering from a great scarcity of rain this year and are considered very far from even achieving a percentage close to their usual rate, due to the severe shortage of rainfall in the south this season, specifically the Wadi region. Musa.

Note: The amount of rainfall achieved in relation to the entire annual rainfall average and the rainfall performance of the Kingdom’s governorates are from reports issued by the Meteorological Department.