BEIRUT: The long-awaited “Zina” has officially arrived, with the country witnessing a burst of cold weather, and temperatures expected to further drop Tuesday as the storm intensifies. The storm is being brought over by a low-pressure weather system from the North Pole via Eastern Europe, according to Michel Frem, head of the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute.
Frem, who said the cold weather would continue until Sunday, warned of flooding and strong winds up to 80 km/hr from Monday to Wednesday, especially in Beirut and the south.
On Thursday, Friday and Saturday temperatures will drop as low as minus 10 degrees in the Bekaa Valley, Frem added.
LARI urged fishermen and greenhouse owners to take immediate precautions to protect their property and called on citizens to properly secure any items at risk of becoming detached from balconies or rooftops.
Zina was already being felt Monday as strong winds lashed Lebanon at a speeds of up to 90 km/hr in the north, according to the Meteorological Department at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.
“The storm will intensify Tuesday afternoon until it reaches its peak Wednesday night,” a source at the Meteorological Department told The Daily Star.
The department’s forecast released Monday said Tuesday would see heavy rains, strong winds and thunderstorms.
During the day, the temperature will be relatively stable, but will begin to drop gradually by the afternoon, according to the forecast.
“Snow will begin to fall at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level and during the night, will fall at 800 meters in the north,” the Meteorological Department said.
Temperatures Tuesday are expected to range between 9 and 18 degrees Celsius along the coast, 2 and 9 degrees in the mountains, minus 1 and 2 in the Cedars and 3 and 8 in the Bekaa Valley.
Wednesday’s weather is set to be cloudy with more strong winds, thunderstorms and significant drops in temperatures, with snow expected at night at areas 600 m above sea level and at an even lower altitude in the north.
Temperatures Wednesday are expected to range between 8 and 15 degrees Celsius along the coast, 0 and 6 in the mountains, minus 4 and minus 2 in the Cedars and 1 and 5 in the Bekaa Valley.
“The storm will begin to wane overnight Thursday into Friday morning, but the effects of the storm will continue to be felt due to the northern winds and snow at high altitudes,” the Meterological Department source said.
The Internal Security Forces released a statement Monday announcing that the following roads are open to all vehicles: Dahr al-Baidar, Tarshish-Zahle, Laqlouq-Aqoura, Ehden, Hermel-Qobeiyat and Jezzine-Kfar Houna-Aramta.
The Arz road is passable for Jeeps and SUVs until the ski lifts, while the Kefraya-Barouk-Maasser road and the roads leading to ski resorts in Kfar Debian are only passable for vehicles equipped with metal chains due to the icy roads.
The Tarshish-Baskinta, Ainata-Arz and Kfar Debian-Hadath-Baalbek roads remain snowed under and inaccessible.
The ISF advised motorists to add antifreeze to their car radiators to help their motors start up easier.
Also Monday, the National News Agency reported that the Civil Defense’s rescue teams were called to peaks of Jabal Sannine to pull out four cars stuck in the snow.
The Civil Defense’s Directorate General reminded citizens of the importance of abiding by the usual precautions ahead of the storm, and recommended that drivers listen to the weather forecast before making any trips and avoid mountainous areas as much as possible.
For those living at high altitudes, most likely to bear the brunt of Zina, the Civil Defense advised keeping extra amounts of vital supplies, including food, water, medicine, diesel and wood.
For anyone who has to brave the mountainous roads during the storm, the Civil Defense recommended drivers to cover their tires with metal chains, allow extra time for their journey and carry supplies of food, water and medicine that would last two days, as well as blankets and warm clothes.
Drivers should follow instructions from the Civil Defense and the ISF. They should park their car to the right of the road and put on their hazard lights in case of an emergency or if the weather makes driving unfeasible.
In any case of emergencies, citizens can contact the ISF by dialing 112.
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