Meteorological Department

Brief History

The Jordanian Meteorological Department was established in the form of a weather forecast and monitoring office at Jerusalem Airport in 1951.  The number of meteorological stations was limited at that time and their tasks were limited to issuing weather bulletins and forecasts and occasional climatic information.  Operations of expansion then followed in terms of establishing stations and using modern equipment making the Meteorological Department what it is today.  The Department now functions in many everyday aspects of citizens’ life, where its role in longer limited to issuing a weather forecast, but also provides various services in the fields of aviation, agriculture, climate and constructions.

In 1967 and pursuant to Regulation number (19), the Meteorological Department became an independent department under the Ministry of Transportation.  The Meteorological Department joined the World Meteorological Organization in 1955 and has representation in all committees of that Organization.  The Meteorological Department is also a member of the Meteorological Sub-Committee of the Arab League’s Permanent Transportation Committee since 1955, and in 1972, this committee came to be known as the Permanent Arab Meteorological Committee.

Objectives

·            Contributing to the protection of lives and property and raising the level of national production by performing the following tasks:

·            Measuring weather elements.

·            Establishing the meteorological stations network.

·            Issuing weather bulletins and forecasts.

·            Exchanging meteorological information between the Kingdom and the world.

·            Building the climatic databank.

·            Contributing to maritime and aviation safety.

·            Contributing to construction and economic planning.

·            Contributing to agricultural development projects.

·            Issuing climatic studies.

·            Limiting the effects of natural disasters by issuing warning bulletins.

Services

·            Providing weather forecasts for citizens.

·            Providing special weather forecasts for various aviation purposes.

·            Providing weather forecasts for farmers.

·            Issuing weather warnings in particular weather conditions for farmers, pilots, the public, the civil defense, public works, municipalities and the various media outlets.

·            Issuing regular weather forecasts through the various print, audio-visual and internet media outlets.

·            Providing researchers and scholars in universities with special information.

·            Providing the public and private sectors with climatic information.

·            Issuing weather forecasts particular to airports and ports.

Meteorological Department’s Directorates

·            Directorate of the National Weather Forecast Center

·            Applied Meteorology Directorate

·            Research and Training Directorate

·            Agricultural Meteorology Directorate

·            Equipment and Communications Directorate

·            External Stations Directorate

·            Internal Monitoring Directorate

Directorate of the National Weather Forecast Center

Objectives

Contributing to achieving the objectives of the Meteorological Department by performing the tasks and duties assigned to each of the Directorate’s divisions.

Sub-Divisions

·            Weather Forecast Division: This Division provides weather forecasts and weather maps related to aviation, prepares warning bulletins for various media outlets, issues warning bulletins to limit the effects of harsh weather conditions, and contributes to achieving the objects and programs of international weather monitoring.  The Division has the following sub-units:

o   Satellite Unit: includes a system for receiving cloud images from semi-fixed meteosats that monitor the earth’s surface, and these images can be received throughout the day by visible rays or infra-red rays.

o   Numerical Forecasts Unit: a numerical model is currently being operated on trial basis, and qualified employees are being prepared to operate this program.

·            Meteorology Division: This Division collects information and hourly monitoring from meteorological stations in the Kingdom and send them to regional and international centers.  It also maps and analyzes surface weather maps and upper air layers, and issues hourly observations and warning bulletins for airports for ensuring aviation safety.

·            Information Systems Division: This Division is responsible for exchanging information between the National Weather Forecast Center and specialized international centers, providing aviation related maps and information, printing and sending bulletins and forecasts to Jordanian airports and providing them to relevant regional centers, in addition to the maintenance of the communications network that links the National Center with airports and airbases in the Kingdom.

Applied Meteorology Directorate

Introduction

·            The Applied Meteorology Directorate is responsible for improving and facilitating activities related to the climate’s relationship with man and sustainable development, through:

·            Coordinating and supporting general requirements for monitoring, collecting data and exchanging it with all components of the world climatology program.

·            Defining the best use for collection, control, quality, data archiving, and climatic data management.

·            Analyzing and observing the climate, its time and place changes, and publishing climatic data and their results to support scientific research.

·            Developing objective statistical and other means for climatic data analysis.

·            Issuing credible statements about the local climate.

·            Self-capacity building and technology transfer.

Tasks

·            Ensuring the application of meteorological means and protocols through the preparation of necessary schedules and forms.

·            Checking all climatic data incoming to the Directorate.

·            Storing and processing climatic data.

·            Managing and sustaining the climatic record of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

·            Issuing and publishing quarterly climatic bulletins.

·            Providing the public and private sectors, researchers and students with climatic information.

·            Regulating financial rewards for non-employee supervisors of climatic stations.

·            Fulfilling international obligations in the area of climatic information provision.

·            Operating, maintaining, updating and developing systems and software for inputting, storing and processing used climatic and statistical data.

·            Technically and administratively supervising and monitoring the work of climatic stations.

·            Conducting quarterly administrative and technical inspection, and as needed, and providing subsidiary stations with supplies and equipment and following up on the safety and update of their equipment.

·            Training employees of the climatic stations on their assigned tasks.

·            Preparing climatic reports and researches.

·            Estimating the fees that need to be paid for providing climatic information in line with the Department’s regulation.

·            Following up on issues related to the Commission for Climatology (CCL) and the Commission for Atmospheric Sciences (CAS) of the World Meteorological Organization.

·            Cooperating with other directorates on data and information exchange.

·            Coordinating with the Ministry of Water on the subject of water/rainfall databank with the support of the European Union as a regional project.

·            Submitting a monthly report about the Directorate’s work.

·            Coordinating and exchanging data and information with the Ministry of Water, the Environment Institution, the Ministry of Energy and other institutions.

Research and Training Directorate

Objectives

·            Improving the level of services provided by the Meteorological Department through:

·            Training and qualifying the technical cadre.

·            Conducting studies and researches related to the Department’s work.

·            Following up on new studies, researches and bulletins in the field of meteorology.

·            Providing references, scientific books and meteorological information.

Sub-Divisions

·            Scientific Research Division: This Division undertakes the following:

o           Contributing to and supervising studies and researches.

o           Conducting scientific studies in the field of meteorology.

o           Guiding researchers towards scientific topics of relevance to the Department’s work and the state’s projects.

o           Cooperating with other directorates and facilitating the process of information exchange.

o           Translating scientific papers issued by scientific centers.

o           Cooperating and exchanging expertise with scientific institutions and universities.

o           Corresponding with international organizations and national, Arab and regional centers to acquire seminars and grant training for local employees.

o           Organizing seminars and lectures.

o           Following up on new programs and scientific subjects.

·            Library Division: This Division undertakes the following:

o           Technical and administrative work necessary to organize the books, information, publications, references that are received by the Department.

o           Exchanging publications issued by the Department with all relevant departments in Jordan, the Arab world and the world.

o           Supervising the library and providing books, publications, films and scientific programs.

o           Providing office services for researchers in the field of meteorology.

o           Exchanging publications and bulletins with local and international institutions.

·            Training Center Division: This Division undertakes the following:

o           Conducting specialized courses in the field of meteorology in order to prepare and qualify the necessary cadre for the daily and routine work of the Meteorological Department.

o           Administratively and technically supervising the lecturers and the trainers.

o           Preparing and developing curricula as needed.

o           Following up on modern training methods.

The Training Center of the Meteorological Department was established in 1972 pursuant to a special regulation that abides by the instructions of the World Meteorological Organization with relation to the subject of training.  Of the most important programs conducted by the Training Center are:

·            A (6) month Meteorology course, (4) theoretical work and (2) months practical work.

·            A (9) month basic weather forecast course, and (3) months practical work.

Between 1972 and 2004, the Center completed:

·            (31) meteorology courses, from which (327) meteorologists have graduated.

·            (18) basic weather forecast courses, from which (120) forecasters have graduated.

These courses have included some graduates from Arab countries in addition to Jordanians.

Agricultural Meteorology Directorate

Sub-Divisions

·            Agro-meteorological Division: It includes the following agro-meteorological stations:

o           Irbid Station

o           Ramtha Station

o           Al-Khalidiyeh Station

o           Shobak Station

o           Al-Rabba Station

o           Al-Baqourah Station

o           Wadi Al-Rayyan Station

o           Deir Alla Station

o           Ghor Safi Station

o           Samma Station

·            Agro-meteorological Information and Services Division: It includes the following units:

o           The Information and Supplies Unit

o           The Agro-meteorological Studies and Experiments Unit

Tasks

·            Conducting Synoptic monitoring and agro-meteorology.

·            Checking, processing and storing information from the agro-meteorological stations.

·            Issuing specialized quarterly bulletins for the service of the agricultural sector.

·            Issuing appropriate warnings about weather conditions that have negative effect on the agriculture.

·            Conducting agricultural researches in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and exchanging information.

·            Coordinating with other directorates and institutions of relevance.

·            Participating at the local, regional and international levels.

·            Following up bulletins and researches related to fighting locust and insects.

·            Providing clients with agricultural information and bulletins.

·            Training employees of agro-meteorological stations on their assigned tasks.

Equipment and Communications Directorate

It is the engineering, technical and sustainability Directorate of the Meteorological Department and consists of three divisions:

·            Communications Division and includes the Radio-sound Unit

·            Equipment Division

·            General Maintenance Division

Sub-Divisions

·            Communications Division: undertakes the following:

o           Placing and maintaining all telephone lines in the Department and the external stations.

o           Maintaining and repairing communications systems and equipment.

o           Maintaining and operating the Radio-sound Unit and preparing upper air level bulletins.

o           Writing technical specifications for communications systems and equipment.

·            Equipment Division: undertakes the following:

o           Constructing and installing meteorological stations.

o           Maintaining, calibrating and installing meteorological systems in all stations.

o           Providing services and consultations to institutions and universities.

o           Writing technical specifications for meteorological equipment.

·            General Maintenance Division: includes the Carpentry and the Mechanic Units, and undertakes the following:

o           Making shacks and their supports and the iron staircases.

o           Making office furniture, kitchens and doors.

o           Supervising the maintenance of all the Department’s buildings and the external stations.

o           Following up operations of delivering water, electricity and telephone lines to all the Department’s buildings and the external stations.

o           Following up operations of land appropriation and the acquirement of all buildings licenses.

External Stations Directorate

Objectives

·            Monitoring weather elements in the Department’s external stations to establish a national climatic record.

·            Contributing to providing services to aviation and maritime in military airports and the Aqaba airport and port.

Sub-Divisions

·            Main Meteorological Stations Division: includes the following stations:

o           Salt meteorological stations

o           Qatraneh meteorological stations

o           Tafileh meteorological stations

o           Ras Munif meteorological stations

o           Ma’an meteorological stations

o           Ruwaished meteorological stations

o           Suweileh meteorological stations

o           Zarqa meteorological stations

o           Wadi Mousa meteorological stations

·            Subsidiary Meteorological Stations Division: includes the following stations:

o           Mafraq meteorological office

o           Al-Jafr meteorological office

o           Azraq meteorological office

o           Safawi meteorological office

o           Al-Ghabawi meteorological office

Tasks

·            Monitoring changes in weather elements in its stations and issuing coded bulletins according to type of monitoring, be that for aviation or synoptic purposes, and sending them to the National Weather Forecast Center.

·            Providing the civilian or military airport with hourly and warning forecasts for aviation safety purposes.

·            Drawing, analyzing and processing weather maps and issuing the necessary bulletins.

·            Receiving bulletins issued by the National Weather Forecast Center and other regional and world centers through the AMSS system.

·            Maintaining and cleaning the equipment.

·            Supervising and following up on stations and forecast offices, administratively and technically, and organizing the necessary schedules.

·            Ensuring the needs and supplies for their stations.

Aspirations and Projects

·            Updating and developing weather elements measurement means and tools in order to keep up with international developments (using technology and automating stations according to set plan).

·            Expanding the meteorological network to represent the Kingdom’s topography (desert areas, northern and southern mountains, plains, northern, middle and southern valleys, and the Gulf of Aqaba).

·            Connecting all meteorological stations and weather forecast offices with the National Weather Forecast Center and the Department.

Internal Monitoring Directorate

Sub-Divisions

The Internal Monitoring Directorate includes two Divisions:

·            Financial Monitoring Division: undertakes the following:

o           Verifying the soundness of financial legislation application.

o           Checking and verifying financial transactions and documents and supportive documents.

o           Making sure that financial matters have been transferred as per the regulations and that the data in them is correct.

o           Verifying that resources and their usage were completed as per the set financial goals and plans and the deviations have been corrected.

o           Verifying the correct use of financial records and checking and verifying that data in records agree with reality.

o           Conducting a quarterly inventory for the supplies division to verify that existing supplies correlate with records.

o           Verifying the employees’ salary statements, overtime and transportation fees for all employees.

o           Supervising and participating in offering bid and opening sealed bids.

·            Administrative Monitoring Division: undertakes the following:

o           Inspecting on a daily basis the activity division to verify that work is progressing during the morning and evening shifts.

o           Inspecting the external stations on a quarterly basis to be familiar with the stations’ needs in terms of equipment and employees, and following up on the communication of bulletins from the external stations to the National Weather Forecast Center.

o           Continuously inspecting on a daily basis on all Department’s directorates to verify work progress and the presence of the employees.

o           Inspecting on a daily basis the daily weather forecast center, taking samples of the bulletins that are received from the external stations and determining their receipt time, and sending them to the world collection centers.

o           Managing the time and attendance of employees of the Department, the National Weather Forecast Center, Queen Alia International Airport and some external stations, and informing the Director General in an official letter on daily basis.

o           Verifying regular leave and holidays as well as sick leave and official holidays and recording them in official records.

o           Documenting notes on employees who take leave without pay and sick leave as well as study grants abroad and local and foreign seminars so that it would be a reference to the Internal Monitoring Directorate.

o           Inspecting on a daily basis the work of the bureau and employee affairs by taking a sample of a transaction and following it up and taking a sample of the work and following it up.

o           Verifying the records of the supplies division to make sure that entries and dispensation is done correctly as per the regulations.

o           Inspecting vehicle movements.

o           Inspecting on a daily basis the printing and binding division to verify the work progress and the presence of the employees.