Snowstorm Alexa Starts Lashing Lebanon amid Heightened Precautions

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

A snowstorm coming from Russia started lashing Lebanon on Tuesday evening amid heightened precautions by citizens and authorities.

The winter weather front dubbed "Alexa" is forecast to bring several days of rain and snow and a steep drop in temperature.

As the falling snow cut off the Oyoun al-Siman-Hadath Baalbek road and the Tarshish-Zahle road, the Dahr al-Baidar road remained passable for vehicles equipped with snow chains.

The Meteorology Department of the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority said heavy rains are expected to fall on Wednesday, noting that snow will hit areas situated 1,000 meters above sea level during the day and will start lashing regions that are 500 meters above sea level in the evening, especially in the North, before abating at night.

Meanwhile, as part of the authorities' measures, caretaker Education Minister Hassan Diab ordered the closure of public and private schools across the country on Wednesday.

For his part, caretaker Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil asked all nurseries to close on Wednesday as a public safety precaution.

LBCI television quoted Lebanese University President Adnan Sayyed Hussein as saying that classes will not be interrupted on Wednesday at all faculties because of the storm.

Quoting the Civil Aviation Authority, MTV said flight activities at the Beirut Rafik Hariri International Airport continue uninterrupted and “any change in the schedule of takeoffs and landings will be announced in a statement.”

The vehicles of the Public Works and Transport Ministry are working around the clock and all stations are on full alert, according to MTV.

On Monday, caretaker Social Affairs Minister Wael Abu Faour said authorities were mobilizing to help Syrian refugees living in makeshift camps ahead of the storm.

"The ministry, in cooperation with UNHCR and all our partners, has mobilized to do what's necessary to protect Syrian refugees and Lebanese citizens in need during this storm," Abu Faour said.

"I don't think there is a single Lebanese official who can sleep with a clear conscience while women, children and the elderly -- Syrians, Palestinians or Lebanese -- can't close their eyes because of cold and hunger," he added.

Abu Faour said Lebanese authorities, working with the army and international aid agencies, had begun distributing plastic sheeting and wood planks to refugees living in informal camps, along with heaters and food aid.

At least 835,000 registered Syrian refugees are living in Lebanon, some renting apartments, others living with Lebanese families and thousands sheltering in makeshift shelters in unofficial camps.

The vast majority of the camps are in the Bekaa Valley region in east Lebanon, where temperatures regularly dip below zero and winter brings snow and rain.

Comments 9
Thumb lebanon_first 10 December 2013, 22:47

I dont understand how the wind comes from the south west while the storm comes from Russia.

Default-user-icon Ghassan (Guest) 10 December 2013, 23:20

The storm also has to be blamed on Israel! :)

Default-user-icon Hassan (Guest) 10 December 2013, 23:28

A winter storm is typically a cold front (low pressure system descending from the north) that is quite dry. It pulls moist warm air from another direction (in this case southwest) which creates a tremendous amount of precipitation (just like your cup of coffee creates a cloud as it is exposed to very cold air). Cold air by itself will not yield precipitation.

Default-user-icon Rabieh Al Kadi (Guest) 11 December 2013, 06:56

It's obvious! When there is low pressure from the arctic wind, a western or south eastern wind also gets like seized by the pressure! So take it as a note! No snow will strike like 800 meters and lower except when there is interference of cold north air and wet west air and clouds'! Hope you can interpret this Hint I just gave'!

Default-user-icon AhmadAwad (Guest) 11 December 2013, 04:00

Loyals to Hasan Nasralla are killing and committing crimes against syrian
people ,sitzeinab grave was guaarded and protected by the sunni syrian people , hezballa will be disarmed because of these crims .

Thumb cedars2 11 December 2013, 07:50

This is not a storm its a moumaaraa kounieh funded by KSA to flood M8'rs into submission.

Thumb cedars2 11 December 2013, 10:07

I believe through the port after the "ashraf el nass" cronies collect the related bribes...

Thumb FlameCatcher 11 December 2013, 11:11

Most certainly a Zionist conspiracy to cripple the gloriously divine resistance !

But the resistance will prevail.

No one blocks roads except the holy party of kalashnikovs. Not even god.

The resistance will cut off the arm of any storm that dares cross its path.

Thumb cedars2 11 December 2013, 16:03

And if this storm dosent heed to their commands and turns into a light shower they will"take care of it"...