After a few days of unseasonably warm temperatures, wintry weather returned on Wednesday as Israel saw rain and lightning storms in most parts of the country.
In the afternoon hours, some coastal areas saw a phenomenon somewhat unusual for Israeli shores, with waterspouts forming over the sea and moving toward the beaches, some of which filled with people despite the inclement weather.
Waterspout in Netanya on Wednesday
Frequent rainfall and thunderstorms are expected to continue across most parts of Israel on Thursday, when downpours are set to accelerate in some areas.
Flash flood warnings have been issued for the Jordan Valley, the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea, the northern Arava, Eilat Bay and the north-eastern Negev.
Following floods in coastal cities over the weekend, citizens in the central city of Yahud were asked to move their cars and barricade the entrance to their homes with sandbags.
Thursday will see continued rainfall mostly in central and northern Israel, along with some thunderstorms in some areas. Southern Israel that so far this season has not seen a lot of rainfall, will see mostly local showers.
Temperatures around the country are set to be cold, with modest wind speeds.
In the northern city of Haifa, the temperatures will rise from 14 degrees Celsius at night to 16 degrees during the day. In Tel Aviv, the weather will be similar with a range of 16 degrees at night and 20 degrees during the day. In Jerusalem, the weather will be cooler, reaching 10 degrees Celsius at night and rising to 13 degrees during the day.
In the southern city of Be’er Sheva, temperatures will range from 12 degrees at night and 19 during the day. In Israel's southernmost city of Eilat, the weather will remain warm with 16 degrees at night and 24 during the day.
On Friday, local showers will continue in northern Israel and along the coastline, and move from midday towards the central mountains.
There are flood warnings for the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea area.
Temperatures will slightly rise but remain unseasonably cold.