Heavy rain in Arava region, southern Israel
(Video: Hila Elbaz)
After a sweltering hot weekend, Israelis got a refreshing break on Sunday, with light showers reported in central regions and heavy rains in the south prompting authorities to issue flash flood warnings.
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Mitzpe Ramon, situated at the center of the arid Negev desert, has received more than 10% of its average annual rainfall since Saturday night.
Additionally, substantial showers were observed throughout the Arava region and in the resort town of Eilat. Thai foreign laborers working in the date palm plantations of Mosahv Hazeva in the northern Arava compared the weather to that of their home country.
More than 120 fires broke out during the weekend due to the heat wave. Assistant Fire Commissioner Itzik Oz, the commander of the Southern District of Fire and Rescue Services, said told Hebrew-language Ynet Radio in an interview that "the fires started from early morning hours and continued throughout the night. Firefighters operated under difficult conditions of heavy heat, it was not simple and easy.”
Oz stated that the most challenging fire broke out in the Carmia reserve near the Gaza Strip border.
According to the Fire Services, the fire was caused by a group of a few dozen people who gathered in the forest to play airsoft and lit fires in the open and grassy areas.
One of the sources of the fire was a cooking pot that had been placed in a dangerous spot, and another source was a barbecue that was lit in a reserved area.
Three of the event’s organizers were arrested on suspicion of violating an order that prohibited lighting fires due to the extreme weather conditions.
"Thankfully, a disaster was avoided," said Oz. "The heavy heatwave, low humidity, and wind speeds up to 30 knots were all reasons for the order. This order is a mandatory regulation by law, and its enforcement is carried out by the Israeli police. Anyone who witnesses such situations must inform the authorities as soon as possible."
Later on Sunday, it is expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy, accompanied by strong winds and potential dust storms in the southern regions. Local showers are expected mainly in the eastern part of the country and in the south, raising concerns about significant flooding in the southern streams.
As we move into Monday, temperatures will further decline, and there remains a possibility of localized rain, particularly in the eastern areas, central mountain regions, and the south. The risk of flash floods in the streams still persists.
However, by Tuesday and Wednesday, the weather is expected to stabilize, providing relatively comfortable conditions. Temperatures will rise once again later on.