After two years, snow began falling in Jerusalem on Wednesday afternoon after the Golan Heights, Upper Galilee and the mountains of central Israel received their fair share of snow.
The snowdrift in the capital will tighten through Wednesday night and will hold around until the wee hours of Thursday morning.
The worst weather was yet to come as the storm was about to last for the rest of the week, with heavy rain, thunder and lightning, starting in the coming hours and lasting all night.
Powerful winds reach speeds of up to 80 km / h (50mp / h) and heavy snow falls in northern and central Israel.
On Thursday, the snow in Jerusalem will make room for late morning rain and the storm will endure.
Israeli emergency, rescue and medical services were preparing for the storm from late Tuesday, which is set to bring snow to Jerusalem for the first time in years and has already covered up to 15cm of snow. introduced in the Golan Heights.
With the exception of the Negev, where so far only a few millimeters of rain have fallen, the meteorological service’s measurement stations recorded a very high-level double-digit shower. Meteorologists also said the Golan Heights have not seen as much snow as recorded so far in years.
The settlement of Karnei Shomron in the West Bank has taken the lead, with 61mm of rain in the last 24 hours. In Haifa at least 30mm of rain fell in the past day, in Jerusalem 24mm and in Tel Aviv 15.
In northern Israel, so far at least nine routes have been blocked for traffic: 97, 91, 98, 99, 866, 899, 959 and 978.
Access to the city of Safed has been blocked for vehicles. “The city is blocked,” said Mayor Safed Ilan Shohat, who urged residents not to leave the house. “Don’t leave your homes. Let’s do the work, the whole town is covered in snow.”
Police have called on members of the public to stop traveling on northern roads and reduce unnecessary travel to the area.
Ynet meteorologist Danny Rup said the rapid drop in temperature quickly led to snow or fog in the north of the country as well as Jerusalem, where the temperature would drop to just 3 degrees Celsius beyond the day.
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Children playing in the snow in the town of Druze in the town of Druze, Majdal Shams
(Photo: Fadi Amun )
Rup said forecasts show that more areas across the country will be covered in white, including mountains in central Israel, towards evening hours.
An official of the Jerusalem Municipality said they are ready for the snow and all possible consequences. “The city is prepared, there are about 200 engineering machines across the city just waiting to clear the snow from major trails.”
The officer called for drivers not to drive in the snow in the city. “We’re willing to build vehicles that get involved but hopefully it doesn’t happen.”