Bye-bye snow: freezing weather at an end as seasonal norms return
Israelis dash to snowy spots to enjoy the wintery spell before it melts in the 'perfect weather' that is expected across the country over the weekend.
Just as Israelis were strapping on their skis and donning their warmest hats, the snow that fell heavily in the center of the country began to melt and temperatures started to return to seasonal norms Thursday.
"The storm is essentially over,” said meteorologist Nachum Malik. “The snow will melt throughout the day. Although there is a possibility of intermittent rain tomorrow, on Saturday the weather is expected to be perfect.”
Snow blanketed the Judean Mountains south of Jerusalem on Thursday, as the storm system that began at the start of the week reached its peak intensity. Some five centimeters of snow reportedly accumulated in the Gush Etzion bloc of West Bank settlements, attracting tourists from across the country.
Snow at the Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel.
— (((Emanuel Miller))) (@emanumiller) January 16, 2019
Video: Gabriel After pic.twitter.com/7aEQE6IWT8
The snow began late Wednesday, hitting Jerusalem and the elevated areas of central Israel. It also fell as far as the mountainous north—the Galilee and the Golan Heights—where torrential rain and hail also stranded some cars and turned streets into rivers of mud. The stormy weather, however, was expected to taper off over the weekend.
Next week the weather is expected to be much warmer. “We don’t see another storm systems hitting Israel next week,” said Malik.
Aryeh Weinstock, owner of a tourism company in Gush Etzion, said despite the cold, the area was teeming with tourists from other parts of the country. “On Tuesday the skies were clear and we though the snow forecast was fake news. But, gradually it started to snow, and during the night it snowed for four hours straight,” he said Thursday.
Despite the near freezing temperatures, almost all school activities in the Jerusalem area, the Golan and the upper Galilee operated as usual. In Gush Etzion, all schools opened at 10am.
The Jerusalem Municipality urged the residents to be mindful of sleet in order to avoid the chance of slipping and falling, especially the parents who accompany their children to schools and kindergartens.
Strong rain showers accompanied by thunderstorms and hail, which began in the Golan Heights on Wednesday evening, continued through Thursday as well, adding an additional 6cm to the Sea of Galilee.
According to the Water Authority, the Sea of Galilee’s waterline currently stands at -213.90cm below sea level, and has risen by at least 75cm since the start of Israel’s winter season. In order to reach full capacity, the freshwater lake needs an additional 5.10 meters.
