Heat wave could break all-time temperature record in Jordan this week: ArabiaWeather

Jordan is facing an unprecedented and intense heat wave, with temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 12-13, are feared to surpass all-time records across the kingdom, said ArabiaWeather in its latest forecast.

The forecast, based on AI-processed simulations of air masses, said ArabiaWeather shows the "fiery core" of a hot air mass positioning itself near Jordan, pushing temperatures to new extremes.

The record high for Amman, 43.7 degrees Celsius (110.7 F), set on Aug. 14, 2023, is at serious risk of being broken, said the regional weather service.

Weather Forecast Details

Sunday & Monday

The heat wave continues with temperatures 7 to 9 degrees Celsius above seasonal averages. Weather will be hot in mountainous regions and extremely hot elsewhere, with temperatures nearing 40 C in parts of Amman and approaching the mid-40s C in the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, and Aqaba.

Instability in the atmosphere is expected in the afternoons and evenings, bringing a chance of dust, downdraft winds, and scattered thunderstorms, particularly in the desert and eastern plains.

These sudden winds could create wall-like dust storms, severely reducing or eliminating visibility. The thunderstorms may also produce rare, heavy downpours in localized areas, causing flash floods in desert wadis and streams.

Tuesday

The heat wave intensifies as the hot air mass moves closer. Temperatures will be more than 10 degrees Celsius above average, making for extremely hot and dry conditions in the highlands and scorching conditions elsewhere. Temperatures could surpass 40 C in many towns and cities, including Amman, while reaching the high 40s C in the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, and Aqaba. The atmospheric instability and risk of dust storms, downdraft winds, and thunderstorms will continue.

Wednesday

The heat wave is expected to peak on its sixth consecutive day, with temperatures more than 12 degrees Celsius above average.

Conditions will be an unprecedented scorching and dry heat across most of the kingdom. Temperatures in many cities, including parts of Amman, could approach the mid-40s C , while some areas in the Jordan Valley, Dead Sea, and Aqaba could reach nearly 50 C, with a possibility of breaking historical records.