Israel on Wednesday was bracing for a dramatic day full of weather changes that is set to include dry and windy weather in the first part of the day and heavy rainfall in the evening.
In the first part of the day the weather is expected to be extremely dry and windy, with sandstorms expected in the Negev area in southern Israel.
By afternoon hours, the weather is expected to shift, with rain falling in northern Israel and spreading to the center of the country. The rain is expected to increase gradually, and will be accompanied by strong winds.
Thunder, lightning and hail are also expected in some parts of the country and there might be flooding along the Israeli coastal plain. Light snow is also expected at the upper levels of Mount Hermon.
The Environmental Protection Ministry warned about very high air pollution in the Negev and high to very high in the rest of Israel.
Therefore, certain populations - those with heart disease, lung disease, elderly, children, and pregnant women - are recommended to avoid strenuous exercise activity outside. The rest of the public is advised to minimize workout activity outside.
In the meantime, due to strong winds this morning, a palm tree collapsed on a synagogue in northern Israel, fortunately, no one was hurt.
Throughout the night, the rain will weaken, but temperatures will still remain low. It is possible that snow may continue to fall on Mount Hermon, and flood warnings would remain across the coastal areas.
On Thursday, local rain expected mostly in the morning hours. Dry weather will return on Friday and Saturday, and the temperatures will increase.
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.