AMMAN - (Xinhua) - The snow storm paralyzed traffic in Jordan between the governorates as a result of the snowfall in the high mountainous areas, with a thickness of 20 centimeters.

And the heights of the governorates of Ajloun and Jerash in northern Jordan, in addition to the governorates of Tafila, Karak, and Maan in southern Jordan, were covered with a white blanket of snow, as a result of the Kingdom being affected by a snow storm associated with a deep depression affecting the region, which led to snowfall at intervals from yesterday (Tuesday) until this morning (Wednesday). ) was 20 cm thick.

As for the capital, Amman, it witnessed snowfall, but in quantities that amounted to 8 centimeters, and it soon began to melt due to the heavy rains.

And local media reported that snow and rain are still falling throughout the Kingdom, especially the northern, central and southern regions, accompanied by very fast winds and thick fog, especially in the high areas.

The accumulated snow led to the closure of some of the main roads between the governorates and the link with the capital, Amman, as the mechanisms of the Ministry of Public Works and Municipalities have been working since last night to open them, according to a statement by the Public Security Directorate, which stated that most of the roads are passable with caution, except for the Asfour Gap road in Jerash Governorate and the Safout road. In Balqa Governorate, work is currently underway to open them.

And the Jordanian Prime Minister, Bishr Al-Khasawneh, decided to delay the start of working hours for all ministries, official departments, institutions, public bodies, official universities, municipalities, joint services councils, the Greater Amman Municipality, and companies wholly owned by the government today, due to the prevailing weather conditions.

While the Ministry of Education announced the suspension of studies in public and private schools, and Jordanian universities announced the transfer of distance studies.

The Meteorological Department said that the weather today is very cold, cloudy and rainy from time to time in the north and center of the Kingdom and parts of the southern and eastern regions.

And the meteorologists added in a report that with the dawn hours of today, it was heavy rain at intervals in the western parts of the Kingdom, accompanied by thunder and hail, with showers of snow falling from time to time over mountain heights that reach a height of 900 meters above sea level and more, with accumulations occurring. Unevenly according to the height, and the winds are active westerly speed, causing dust in the desert areas, and with the evening and night hours, the effect of the depression gradually recedes, as precipitation rates weaken and the wind speed decreases.

In its report, the Meteorological Department warned of the danger of torrential rains and a rise in water levels in valleys and low-lying areas in the western parts of the Kingdom, including the Dead Sea region, and the danger of snow accumulation on mountain heights that witness snowfalls, and the danger of slipping on roads in areas that witness precipitation of all kinds. And from the risk of low horizontal visibility due to clouds touching the earth’s surface over the mountain heights, and from the risk of low horizontal visibility due to dust in the desert areas, and from the risk of frost formation and the occurrence of freezing in the late night hours over the high mountain heights and parts of the desert regions.

Tomorrow (Thursday) the weather will be very cold and partly to cloudy at times with a chance of light showers of rain in the north and center of the kingdom, and the wind will be westerly moderate.

The Ministry of Water and Irrigation announced that the stock of dams rose to 105 million cubic meters, or 38%.

The ministry said in a statement today that the amounts of rain that entered the dams, during the past 24 hours, amounted to 15 million cubic meters, concentrated as follows: King Talal Dam 8.6 million cubic meters, and Al-Wala 3 million cubic meters, while the rest of the amount was distributed to various Dams except for Al-Tannour Dam.