Meteorologists on Sunday said Israel was experiencing unusually high nighttime temperatures in August, partially because of a cloud cap that was preventing cooling overnight and in the early morning hours.
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Since the weekend of August 11, 12 and until now, Israel is experiencing higher than usual temperatures and humidity and overcast skies. Such conditions prevent cooling and in some areas of the country have caused unrelenting heat. Some relief is expected later this week although the nights would remain warm.
Dr. Amos Porat from the Israeli Meteorology Service said consecutive days with unusually high temperatures were unprecedented and in some places around central Israel, they did not drop bellow 27°C (80°F) for nine consecutive nights, an occurrence not recorded since 1962. Around the Sea of Galilee, the temperatures did not drop below 29°C (84°F) for eight nights in a row, which did not occur since 1945.
Porat explained that there was a flow of relatively cooler and less humid air from the sea in lower altitudes causing inversion at 900 to 1000 meters which is a steady layer of air, bellow which clouds gather humidity is trapped overnight and into the morning hours, causing a greenhouse effect and resulting in unusually warm temperatures.