Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and put its crews on maximum alert as a severe snow storm will hit the Kingdom tonight and continue throughout the weekend, according to forecast.

Municipal officials said all precautions necessary to counter the weather conditions had been taken and maintenance of infrastructure intensified, including repairs of bridges, tunnels and rain water drains and to ensure that crews and machinery are on the ready to deal with any emergencies.

"The work plan prepared to face emergencies will be enforced by splitting crews into two work shifts, each for 12 hours and fully backed by all necessary human resources and machinery," said GAM spokesman Bakr Abbadi.

He said the municipality had assigned task forces at intersections, key roads, tunnels and bridges in the capital to deal with the aftermath of the deep depression that is edging closer, according to weather forecasts coming in at the GAM main emergency room. Abbadi said municipal crews will set off from four designated points in the capital to deal with snow in addition to the main operations room in order to open roads, while giving priority to routes leading to hospitals and clinics.

The GAM has posted emergency numbers in the media, and urged the public to call its emergency rooms located across the capital for help and weather warnings or to inquire about the condition of roads.

Meteorologists said the polar weather system will cross the country this evening with rainfall expected in most areas and snowfall on highlands on Wednesday and Thursday as temperatures will dip below the freezing point.

Other state agencies have put in place contingency plans as the government declared Wednesday a holiday and universities and banks will also take the day off due to the bad weather.

*Petra