What do you know about the 1982 Amman floods?

Arab Weather - Less than a month before the start of astronomical summer, specifically in early May 1982, the capital, Amman, was hit by extremely heavy rains that resulted in torrents and floods in some areas. What do you know about the story?

We return to the Arab Weather archives to recall a severe weather instability that affected the Kingdom approximately 43 years ago. Archive maps indicate that the Kingdom was affected by a severe weather instability accompanied by sudden heavy to very heavy rainfall, which led to flooding in the capital, Amman, and unfortunately resulted in the deaths and loss of a number of people.

Heavy rains hit the Kingdom on May 12 and 13, 1982.

Archival maps from that time show a strong extension of the Red Sea depression on May 12 and 13, 1982, coinciding with the presence of a cold upper trough over the eastern Mediterranean basin. This led to the development of a strong state of atmospheric instability, which coincided with the rush of warm, moist southern currents accompanying the extension of the Red Sea depression.

This weather system resulted in the formation of strong cumulonimbus clouds, initially concentrated in the south and east of the Kingdom, and continued to expand until they covered large areas of the Kingdom in a scattered manner. On May 12, 1982, cumulonimbus clouds developed in the southern and central parts of the capital, Amman, accompanied by very heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and hailstorms, which led to torrential rains and flooding in some areas.

According to what was written in the official newspapers at the time, the floods resulted in the death of seven citizens, the injury of 12 people, and the loss of dozens. The following is what Al-Ay Sabiha newspaper wrote on May 13, 1982:

Archival maps of atmospheric instability