Shobak records a record surface temperature of 10.2 below zero. What is the difference between it and the air temperature?

Arab Weather - The Kingdom witnessed a sharp drop in temperatures during the morning hours of Tuesday, February 25, 2025, as some monitoring stations affiliated with the Meteorological Department recorded the lowest surface temperatures for this season other than those recorded at an altitude of 2 meters above sea level (find out the difference between surface temperature and air temperature at the bottom of the report). The Shobak monitoring station came in first place by recording the lowest surface temperature of 10.2 degrees Celsius below zero, followed by Al-Qatrana (-8.5) and Ma'an (-7.0), which reflects the strong frost wave affecting the region.

The following are the most prominent readings recorded according to the stations affiliated with the Meteorological Department:

• Al-Shoubak: -10.2°C
• Al-Qatrana: -8.5°C
• Ma'an: -7.0°C
• Al-Ghabawi: -6.6°C
• Al-Mafraq: -6.5°C
• Ajloun/Ras Munif, Amman Civil Airport, Al-Salt, Al-Jafr: -6.0°C

According to the Meteorological Department, Wadi Al Rayan station recorded (-1.8) the lowest temperature in the low-lying areas, indicating the impact of the cold air mass in various regions, even the Jordan Valley.

While the lowest temperatures recorded at an altitude of 2 metres, according to the network of meteorological monitoring stations in the Meteorology Department during the last 24 hours, were as follows:

• Al-Shoubak: -8.2°C
• Ma'an: -5.0°C
• Al-Jafr: -5.0°C
• Al-Dhuleil: -5.0°C
• Ras Munif: -4.5°C
• Al-Qatrana: -4.2°C
• Al-Azraq: -4.0°C
• Al-Mafraq: -3.8°C
• Al-Rabba: -3.5°C
• Al-Safawi: -3.5°C

Unofficial stations in Arab Weather also monitored temperatures dropping to several degrees below zero Celsius in many areas, as follows:

• Irbid - Northern District: -1.80°C
• Petra - Al-Taybeh Al-Janoubiya: -2.60°C
• Zarqa - Rajm Al-Shouf: -2.60°C
• Salt - Al-Sallam: -0.60°C
• Tafila - Al-Ays: -3.40°C
• Jerash - Al-Kfair: -0.60°C
• Ajloun - Rasoun, Sna’ar: -1.90°C
• Amman - Hikma Pharmaceuticals SSD, Al-Rawnaq: -1.94°C
• Amman - Al-Bunayyat Al-Janoubi: -1.80°C
• Amman - South Umm Al-Summaq: -0.80°C
• Amman - Tla' Al-Ali, Airbase: -2.40°C
• Amman - Jabal Al-Muraykh: -1.22°C

The difference between surface temperature and air temperature

Surface temperature:

Surface temperatures are usually measured at a height of 5 cm, and are usually much colder than temperatures measured at a height of 2 meters, especially on stable days, because cold air is heavy and descends to the lowest point, in addition to the decrease in the temperature of surfaces close to the Earth's surface due to terrestrial radiation.

Air temperature:

It is the actual temperature measured by weather stations. The temperature is usually measured at a height of 2 meters. As we mentioned previously, due to the weight of the cold air and its compression, it reaches low levels less than 2 meters above the ground surface and works to cool surfaces significantly.