Winter has officially arrived in Israel as the season's first snow fell on the peak of Mount Hermon on Wednesday afternoon.
Israel on Wednesday was bracing for a dramatic day full of weather changes that was set to include dry and windy weather in the first part of the day and heavy rainfall in the evening.
Rainfall was mostly concentrated in the country's north, with showers expected to spread in the evening hours and early Thursday towards central Israel and the south.
Strong winds were blowing across Israel, reaching speeds of over 65km an hour in some areas.
A woman in her 70s in Jerusalem was taken to the hospital in mild condition after she was hit with a tree branch that fell on her.
A palm tree in Rosh HaAyin fell on a synagogue in the city. No one was reported hurt.
Local authorities near the Sea of Galilee called on Israelis not to arrive at the beaches due to the strong winds.
The Environmental Protection Ministry warned about very high air pollution in the Negev and high to very high in the rest of Israel.
Temperatures around the country are set to be colder than average all throughout Wednesday and Thursday.
Thunder, lightning and hail are also expected in some parts of the country and there might be flooding along the Israeli coastal plain.
On Wednesday, in the northern city of Haifa, the temperatures will range from 17 degrees Celsius during the day to 13 degrees at night. In Tel Aviv, the weather will be similar with a range of 19 degrees during the day and 14 degrees at night. In the southern city of Be’er Sheva, temperatures will range from 18 degrees throughout the day to 8 degrees at night. In Jerusalem, the temperatures will be cooler, reaching 15 degrees during the day and falling to 8 overnight, while in the southernmost city of Eilat the weather will remain warm with 24 degrees during the day and 15 at night.