Jordan | In light of the summer weather...we remember the snow storm Alexa and its details that take us back to those days

Arabia Weather - In light of the relatively hot summer weather and winter lovers’ longing for snow, we recall with you the impact of Jordan and the Levant on a rare and unique weather system, the results of which were strong winds, heavy rainfall, and unprecedented heavy snowfall.

Think back to the details of Alexa's immortal snowstorm

We return to narrating the story of this storm in some detail, as large areas of the European continent were affected by a solid and stubborn air pressure at that time, as a result of which an extremely cold and polar air mass rushed directly from the Arctic Circle towards the Black Sea, then Turkey, and later to the eastern Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean, including the Kingdom, was located above us for two days.

In conjunction with all of this, the prevailing weather systems in the region as a whole allowed the birth of a deep depression that was initially centered over Syria, and then a new depression developed and centered over Lebanese territory, which contributed to enhancing the rain and snowfalls. We will now list what made this depression distinctive and extreme. And by analogy:

Snow

The northern highlands, in addition to the central part of the Kingdom and some southern highlands, were affected by intermittent heavy snowfall at the beginning of the storm, and a cold air front formed in the south of the West Bank and moved in a northeasterly direction to affect northern Jordan, the Balqa Heights, and north of the capital, causing a large accumulation of snow, especially in the first, so that the thickness of the snow exceeded 50 cm at heights exceeding 900 metres, and that front included the heights in the northern West Bank with greater intensity, according to the Arab Weather website.

With the arrival of the main front accompanying the new depression, snowfall became regular and intensified over most parts of the Kingdom, Palestine, southern Syria, and Lebanon, so that snow thickness exceeded two meters in the Ajloun Mountains, as well as in the highlands west of Nablus, while it approached a meter in the Balqa Heights and northern Amman, in addition to the Tafila Mountains. And Hebron in the south of the West Bank. All of these numbers are record for the first half of December, and the region has not seen anything like them even in the winter in recent years, going back to the famous snowy February of 1992.

Winds and temperatures

With the beginning of the deep depression and before the passage of its three main fronts, strong winds blew, which on more than 5 occasions touched the 90-100 km/h barrier in many Jordanian cities, including the capital, Amman. What is noteworthy is that the stormy winds did not subside as usual with the fall of snow, but rather increased in intensity. Which created extreme snow storms. The speed of wind gusts reached 129 km/hour at the Al-Taf/Balqa monitoring station, and their rates touched the 80 km/hour mark!

As for the temperatures, they were not much extreme than zero Celsius in most areas except the Sharah Mountains, while the lowest in the latter fell to below -10 Celsius, especially on Sunday night, in a new record, God willing, and some Jordanian cities, including the capital, Amman, recorded about -2 to -4 Celsius.

In general, Storm Alexa is not considered ordinary, as it came to an area far from the North Pole and at the end of the fall season, before the actual astronomical winter entered in late December. Rather, it achieved results on the ground in many regions that exceeded those achieved by winter storms from High style in recent years, especially in the highlands of the north of the country, up to the famous storm of February 25, 1992, while the storm of February 25, 2003 recorded similar snow accumulation in the north of the capital, Amman, but it increased in February 1992 by 20-40 centimetres.

Storm Alexa, could it happen again?

The snow storm Alexa that struck the Kingdom in 2013 is not considered an ordinary event, as it came to an area far from the North Pole and at the end of the fall season, before the actual winter astronomically entered and before the start of the square in late December.

The snow storm on the ground during that period achieved a rain and snow performance in many areas that exceeded what was achieved by strong winter storms, leading up to the famous storm of 2/25/1992, while the storm of 2/25/2003 recorded similar snow accumulation in the north of the capital, Amman. But it increased in February 1992 by 20-40 centimetres.

The snowstorm disrupted all aspects of public life in the region due to the severity of its effects. Snowstorm Alexa is considered a severe storm and is classified as extremely rare. Such storms occur once every several years, as the formation of such weather systems that cause storms Winter, like Alexa, has pressures, cold air masses, and their locations. It does not happen every year, but it happens once every few years.

The greatest knowledge remains for God Almighty.