After more than three hot and dry weeks – winter is back. Rains, sometimes accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds, began to fall towards noon, mainly in the northern region, and towards evening they intensified and spread towards the center and south of the country.
The highest amounts of rain were measured until last night in Kibbutz Ayalon in the Western Galilee – close to 50 mm. In Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, about 12 mm of precipitation fell, and in Haifa – about 15 mm. In the central area and the southern coastal plain, quantities Precipitation was lower, and following an alert from the Ministry of the Interior, local authorities were preparing for extreme weather, which is expected to continue intermittently in the coming days.
Yesterday morning it began to snow on the line of outposts at the summit of Mount Hermon, at an altitude of 2,200 meters above sea level, and the temperature was zero degrees. Towards noon, it also began to snow on the lower level at the Hermon site. In the afternoon, about 7 inches of snow had piled up on the upper level, and the temperature had dropped to minus 2 degrees.
“The mountain will turn white over the next few days, but unfortunately for the citizens of Israel, no one will be able to enjoy the first significant snow of 2021. The closure and the fact that the Hermon site has not yet received approval in principle to open it, obscure the joy,” the website said.
According to the forecast of the Meteorological Service in Beit Dagan, today in the north and center of the country local rains are still expected, mostly light, and temperatures will be average for the season. The temperature in Tel Aviv will reach 16 degrees, in Jerusalem – 12, in Lod and Be’er Sheva – 17, in Haifa – 16, in Tiberias – 18 and in Safed – 10. During Saturday, local rain is expected in the north of the country, and there may be single thunderstorms. On Mount Hermon, snow and winds may be stronger, especially along the coastal plain, but no significant change in temperatures is expected.
On Sunday the rainy system will be strengthened. In the north of the country, intermittent rain is expected, accompanied by occasional thunderstorms. It will snow on Mount Hermon, and during the day the rain is expected to spread to the coastal plain as well. Strong winds will blow, and there may be haze in the south of the country and even in the center.