`The Wave of the Century`... One of the strongest heat waves in the past 100 years is currently occurring in 2020.

Arab Weather - With the start of September, we recall the historic heat wave that affected the Kingdom in September 2020. Looking back at the climate record, the Kingdom was affected by a severe heat wave dubbed the "wave of the century." It was among the strongest heat waves to affect the Kingdom in the past 100 years, accompanied by temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in the capital, Amman.

The wave lasted for 8 days and was considered among the strongest heat waves since climate records began in the Kingdom.

In detail, and based on climate records, the Kingdom was affected at the beginning of September 2020 by one of the most intense heat waves in the past 100 years, with temperatures reaching unprecedented highs in some areas. The heat wave was not limited to the Kingdom alone, but also extended to many Middle Eastern countries, prompting the term "wave of the century." The wave was characterized by its duration over several consecutive days, significantly impacting various aspects of life in the Kingdom.

The capital, Amman, and some other areas recorded temperatures that far exceeded normal levels, reaching nearly 45 degrees Celsius in some areas. This led to a significant increase in demand for electricity due to the intensive use of air conditioning units.

The heat wave was accompanied by extremely hot and exhausting conditions, with maximum temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many areas, and reaching 42/43 degrees Celsius in some parts of the capital, Amman. The highest temperature in the world was recorded during the second peak of the heat wave in the city of Aqaba, where it reached 48.5 degrees Celsius. The wave was accompanied by unstable weather conditions that resulted in some rain in the south of the Kingdom towards the end of the period, in addition to relatively hot and stifling conditions during the night hours.

According to the Jordanian Meteorological Department, the "heat wave of the century" is considered one of the strongest heat waves the Kingdom has witnessed since climate records began. It lasted for eight days, during which Amman Civil Airport recorded its highest maximum temperature for the month of September on September 3, 2020, reaching approximately 43.0 degrees Celsius.

The strongest heat wave in history was in August 2023.

The Kingdom experienced an intense heat wave during the first half of August 2023. At 1:30 p.m. on Monday, August 14, 2023, the Jordanian capital, Amman, recorded an absolute maximum temperature of 43.7°C. This surpassed the previous record temperature for the same region, set twice on August 20, 2010, and July 30, 2000, which reached 43.5°C. This record is the highest since the Kingdom's climate records began 100 years ago, highlighting the significance of this event in the history of climate records.

Scientifically speaking, a heat dome caused the two aforementioned heat waves. A heat dome, a weather phenomenon that occurs when high atmospheric pressure traps hot air in a specific area for an extended period, was the primary cause of the two severe heat waves that affected Jordan. This phenomenon results in a continuous buildup of heat within the atmospheric dome, significantly increasing temperatures for an extended period.