Video and photos: Rain and storms in the Levant as summer approaches

Large areas of the Levant have been affected in the past few hours by a late and rare low-pressure system for this time of year, bringing with it heavy rains and a significant drop in temperatures, in an unusual scene during the last days of spring meteorologically, which are often associated with heat waves and semi-summer weather.

Heavy rains and floods in northern and western Syria

Large areas of northern and western Syria were exposed to heavy rainfall, including the governorates of Latakia, Tartus, and parts of Idlib and Aleppo, where torrents formed in some areas as a result of the heavy rainfall over a short period of time.

Activists shared images and videos on social media showing water flowing in the streets and low-lying neighborhoods, amid varying degrees of material damage and disruption of traffic on some roads, especially in coastal and mountainous areas.

The weather conditions were also accompanied by a noticeable increase in wind activity and relatively cold weather compared to the usual rates for this time of May, which brought back memories of winter weather at a time that is considered exceptional from a climatic point of view.

The effects extended to Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan.

The effects of the low-pressure system were not limited to Syria alone, but the rains extended to parts of Lebanon, in addition to areas in northern Palestine and the West Bank, where cities such as Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Ramallah witnessed scattered rainfall, accompanied by a noticeable drop in temperatures.

In Jordan, parts of the north of the kingdom were affected by the weather, especially the areas of Ajloun Governorate, which witnessed scattered rain and unusually cold and cloudy weather for this time of year.

A rare phenomenon at this time of year

It is worth noting that the region being affected by rainy weather depressions during the last third of May is relatively rare, especially when compared to previous years which were often characterized by early heat waves and the dominance of hot and dry weather.

Cold air masses coming from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean this year have contributed to keeping temperatures below normal levels, with continued chances of cumulus cloud formation and rain in some areas.