One of the most powerful storms of the last decade... Details of the Dragon Storm on its fifth anniversary

Arab Weather - Thursday and Friday (March 12-13, 2020) were exceptional weekends for residents of Jordan, Egypt, and the Eastern Mediterranean, as the Middle East was hit by a powerful storm known as the "Dragon Storm" or "Depression of the Century." This storm, classified as a Category 4 storm according to the Arab Weather Center's scale of depressions, affected nine countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, including Jordan.

What are the weather systems that, after God's will, cause the Dragon Storm?

Experts at the Arabia Weather Center said that the Category 4 Dragon Storm, which affected the eastern Mediterranean, including the Kingdom, is a rare and historic weather event in terms of its location and intensity. This storm, God willing, resulted from a series of complex weather systems that resulted in a cold air mass rushing from eastern Europe towards the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea. The storm followed an unusual path, entering Egypt and merging with hot and humid air currents from Africa (the cold air mass coming from the north met the seasonal Sudan low pressure system, which supplied the atmosphere with massive amounts of tropical water vapor). This led to the formation of a deep air depression that quickly developed into an exceptional storm dubbed the Dragon Storm due to its tremendous strength and unusual path. Atmospheric pressure values over northern Egypt dropped to approximately 983 MPH. These values are destructive and unprecedented in modern history.

The storm affected the region for several days, with its impact being severe in Egypt and extremely strong in Jordan and the Levant, causing heavy rains, strong floods, and winds with gusts reaching speeds exceeding 120 km/h. The storm also caused a powerful sandstorm that affected all areas of the eastern Mediterranean, especially in its forefront, and left significant damage to crops and trees, as well as loss of life. The losses to crops in the Jordan Valley were estimated at millions after its departure.

The storm's shape on weather maps resembled a dragon, which is why it was named so.

The storm was dubbed "The Dragon" due to its distinctive shape on weather maps, where it appeared as an extratropical cyclone somewhat resembling a dragon. The storm caused significant damage to public and private property in many areas of Jordan due to strong winds and torrential rains, which were extremely heavy in some areas. This led to severe flooding in various areas, uprooting trees, and causing other damage.

Egypt was considered the most affected by the storm's damage, as the Dragon Storm turned day into night due to the dust storm that preceded the rains. Thunderstorms and floods hit Cairo and several Egyptian governorates, resulting in human losses (a child died after a house roof collapsed) and material losses, and the closure of some roads. Meanwhile, authorities closed schools, government institutions, an airport, and the first line of the metro.

In Jordan, heavy flooding occurred in Wadi Musa and Petra, necessitating the activation of early warning sirens. Rainwater and floods swept away a child in Wadi Al-Dhulayl, leading to his death. Floodwaters swept away 8 homes and several shops in Zarqa Governorate, and submerged several cars and homes in Russeifa. Several roads in Jerash Governorate were closed due to rising water levels. 600 people were trapped by floods in various regions of the Kingdom, including the capital, Amman, due to the rising water levels. In Aqaba, high waves caused part of the corniche on the southern coast of Aqaba to collapse and close. Strong winds caused damage to greenhouses in the Jordan Valley, reaching 100%. Significant material losses were also caused to Jordan Valley farms, estimated at millions of dinars. 170 trees were also destroyed in various regions of the Kingdom.

Could the Dragon Storm be repeated in the future?

Based on current scientific data, the recurrence of a storm like "Dragon Storm" in the future is possible, depending primarily on local atmospheric interactions and climate factors that may change over time. Climate change can affect the intensity and frequency of such storms. Rising sea temperatures and increased humidity may make such storms more common. Another example of one of the most violent storms in the history of the Arab world is Hurricane Daniel, which affected northeastern Libya.

And God knows best.