The month of January was rainier than average, with some areas ranking the month as one of the rainiest Januarys in the last 80 years. However, according to the Israeli meteorological service, it was unusually warmer than average. It emphasized that it was cold during January's rainy days, but on rainless days, the temperature was higher than average. In the final analysis, this was an unusual result of a rainy month but also hot for the winter.
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The meteorological service said that the amounts of rain in January reached up to 1.5 or 2 times the average in the north and center of the country, and in several areas this is the third or fourth wettest January according to measurements. The rains were concentrated in two long episodes, one towards the middle of the month and the other one approaching its end. The current streak began on the 22nd and continues even now into February - so it is expected to last for about two weeks in a row, which makes it unusual in its duration.
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Thunderstorm in Haifa and raging waterfall in the Golan
(Photo: Gilad Ronen, Effie Sharir )
In addition to the two main rainy episodes, during the last month there was another rainy streak at the beginning of the month leading January to have more than its average of rainy days, as opposed to the beginning of the season. During the main days of rain, the month was cooler than average, but significantly warmer than average in between the rains, so January was overall warmer than average. "This combination of a winter month that is very rainy and also warmer than average is unusual and there was nothing like it in the past," it was said.
According to the service's data, January was rainier than average from the north of the country to the Sderot- Hebron Mountain line - while in the south of the country the amounts of rain were less than average. In the Galilee, the Golan, the northern valleys and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, 250 to 350 mm fell in January. In parts of the Upper Galilee and the northern Golan, there was 400 mm of rain. As mentioned, these are quantities that are 1.5 to 2 times the average for this month. In the mountains of Samaria and Judea it was also rainier than average, but to a lesser extent with amounts reaching 120% to 160% of the average amount of rain.
The meteorological service emphasizes that January did not break records in the amount of rain, but it is ranked high compared to the past. In a number of areas where the amounts of rain were twice the average, such as the Sharon region and in parts of the Western Galilee, and the southern part of the Golan, January ranks third or fourth in the last 70 to 80 years. Similar or rainier January months were in 2020, 2000, 1974 and 1969.
The forecasted temperatures today and tonight: Jerusalem 4-9, Tel Aviv 10-15, Haifa 8-13, Safed 5-7, Qatsrin 7-12, Tiberias 10-15, Nazareth 7-11, Afula 8-14, Beit She'an 10- 14, Lod 9-16, Ashdod 10-16, Ein Gedi 12-17, Be'er Sheva 7-13, Mitzpe Ramon 5-8, Eilat 11-19.