Jordan: 50°C in the Jordan Valley, the highest temperature ever recorded in the Kingdom. Will it happen again this year?

Arab Weather - In Jordan's climate record, the heat wave recorded on June 9, 2002, is considered one of the most severe to have affected the Kingdom. The maximum temperature in the central Jordan Valley, specifically at the University Farm station, reached 50 degrees Celsius, a record that remains the highest in the Kingdom's history to this day.

Weather details for that day

According to climate data, this record-breaking temperature was significantly above normal for this time of year, exceeding normal levels by approximately 12 degrees Celsius. Analyses indicate that this intense wave was the result of the Kingdom being affected at the time by an extremely hot air mass, coinciding with the dominance of a strong high pressure system in the upper atmosphere. This led to the trapping of hot air over the region and an increased sensation of heat.

Why the central Jordan Valley specifically?

The central Jordan Valley region's unique geographic location, located at lower levels than the sea level, makes it more susceptible to hot air accumulation and record-breaking temperatures, especially during periods of hot air masses.

Climate analyses also indicated that the Kingdom, particularly the Jordan Valley, was affected at the time by the "foehn wind" phenomenon, a dry, hot wind descending from the surrounding mountains that led to an additional and sharp rise in temperatures, which contributed to the amplification of the heat wave and the temperature reaching these unprecedented levels.

Will temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius be repeated in the Jordan Valley this year?

Many are wondering whether temperatures will reach levels close to 50 degrees Celsius in the central Jordan Valley this year, as happened in 2002. In this context, experts at ArabiaWeather point out that the precise answer to the possibility of a repeat of such a scenario depends on seasonal climate data for this summer, which can be viewed through the seasonal weather forecast available exclusively in the "From the Experts" section of the ArabiaWeather app. The forecast provides analysis of temperature forecasts and heat waves expected in the coming months.

And God knows best.