On Jan. 27, 2022, a snowstorm hit Amman, Jordan, bringing roughly 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow around Sports City Circle and double that in other areas of the city where the elevation is higher.
The snow day was celebrated by many who spent time outside building snowmen and having snowball fights, but for other residents of Amman it wasn’t all fun and games.
The flurry collapsed powerlines, trees and temporary structures like tents that couldn’t handle the added weight of the snow.
Some neighborhood blocks in areas like Jabal Hussein and Um Uthaina lost power for approximately 24-hours and residents were forced to seek refuge with family or in hotels until the electricity returned.
And for some residents like Ahmad Jaber Alattiat, the snow was more than an inconvenience: it brought devastation.
Alattiat's ground floor apartment where he lived with his wife, three daughters and son was flooded from the sudden influx of snow and water.
The flood water ruined his family’s furniture and personal belongings while leaving the apartment, located just north Dakhliya Circle, uninhabitable for the foreseeable future.
Alattiat and his family now live with his wife’s family until they can recover from the flood and find a new home. But this will take time and so will the city’s efforts to recover from the damages.
Broken tree branches still line the streets all over the city and forested parks like Al Hussein Sports City for Youth will require months of cleanup efforts.
Trees will need to regrow, powerlines will need to be repaired and outdoor structures will need to be rebuilt.
Snow in Amman can be beautiful and enjoyable in the mountainous city that’s usually shades of brown and tan, but when over 30 centimeters of ice and water fall overnight major challenges are brought as well.
