The grayish sky of Achrafieh (Beirut), on Aug. 22, 2023. At the time, the phenomenon was caused by an anticyclone, meaning extreme heat and a high evaporation rate. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
BEIRUT — An unusual cold spell is expected to bring heavy rain and possibly hail to Lebanon this weekend, despite it still being the middle of summer.
A cold air mass moving from the Black Sea through Turkey is expected to turn the weather unusually cool for late August, according to Jocelyne Abou Farès, head of the weather forecasting division at Météo-Liban.
“Since the air is very hot here at the end of August, and the sea temperature is high, the meeting of this warm air with the cold air mass should cause the development of rain and thunderstorm clouds, which explains the abundant precipitation expected this weekend,” she said.
The weather system is expected to reach northern Lebanon around midday Saturday before spreading across the rest of the country, including the coast and the Bekaa. The heaviest rainfall is expected between Saturday night and Sunday morning, with the weather returning to summer conditions by Monday.
Temperatures are also expected to fall by 5 to 6 degrees between Saturday night and Sunday. Highs on Sunday morning are forecast to reach 29°C in Beirut, 28°C in northern Lebanon and 22°C at an altitude of 1,000 meters.
Winds are expected to remain moderate, with speeds of up to 50 to 60 kilometers per hour.
Drivers and farmers urged to take precautions
The heavy rain could cause water to accumulate on roads, particularly along the coast and in mountainous areas. Abu Fares urged drivers to exercise caution.
The possibility of hail could also damage crops, and farmers are advised to cover them where possible.
Swimming in the sea is strongly discouraged on Sunday morning because of rough conditions, with waves expected to reach 1.5 to 2 meters.
Lebanon experienced unusually heavy rain in parts of the country in July. However, the late-August weather system is more typical of conditions usually seen from October onward, raising the possibility of early flooding on roads that are often affected by the first rains of the season.
