Snowfall blocks several roads in northern governorates
by Laila Azzeh | Feb 29,2012 | JORDAN TIMES
AMMAN –– Roads in the northern governorates of the Kingdom were closed to traffic on Wednesday evening due to a snowstorm that swept the country, but there were no major weather-related accidents, according to the Civil Defence Department (CDD).
Areas located 800 metres above sea level were covered with snow, which started falling at noon yesterday, closing roads in the Mafraq, Jerash, Ajloun and Irbid governorates, and partially blocking some streets in west Amman, Madaba and Zarqa, the CDD said.
“The cold front started to impact northern regions of the Kingdom yesterday. Other areas like west Amman did witness snowfall, but it didn’t accumulated like in Irbid and Mafraq,” meteorologist Abdul Menem Qaralleh told The Jordan Times yesterday.
Several parts of the country witnessed dust-laden winds that caused low visibility, he said, noting that snow, hail, heavy rain and thunderstorms will continue today, when another drop in temperatures is forecast.
Snow blankets a car in the capital on Wednesday (Photo by Raad Adayleh)
NOTE BY THE EDITOR: Children are happy, schools are closed. (but the Heating system at home decided to go on strike today… reducing the joy…)