Syrian Refugees Suffer as Winter's Cold, Wind, Rain Set In

By Meghan Evans, Meteorologist

January 8,2013; 9:04PM,EST

Winter's cold has set in as temperatures bottom out in January across Lebanon, Jordan and Syria, causing refugees without warm clothing to suffer.
Making matters worse for refugees, a recent winter storm has stirred howling winds gusting to around 40 mph and flooding rain. The winds blew some refugee tents away and some refugee camps were flooded, according to the Associated Press.
"Temperatures in many areas are in the 40s and there is wind, so there is a chill factor," AccuWeather Expert Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews said. With winds and dampness factored in, it has felt more like the 20s and 30s for many areas.
"It's a typical eastern Mediterranean storm [impacting the region]," Andrews added. "These storms with several inches of rain happen every winter."
The period from November to March is a wet time of the year for the eastern Mediterranean.
Aman, Jordan, has received 2.5 inches of rain from the winter storm over the past three days. There was even some small, soft hail reported in Jordan with enough cold air in place.
The AP reports that flooding along the Litani River overwhelmed two Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, forcing many to relocate.
Farther inland, there was local flooding in the deserts of Jordan. A syrian refugee camp in Mafraq, Jordan, was among those flooded.
Normally dry waterways fill with water as rain falls in Jordan. These dry waterways are similar to arroyos that fill up with water, causing flooding, in the Southwest U.S. during the summer monsoon.