Following a brief period of unseasonably warm temperatures, the winter weather is set to return as another storm system is expected to hit Israel over the weekend.
The storm will begin picking up speed overnight Thursday, with heavy rain expected in northern, central and some southern parts of the country.
There are fears of flooding in the eastern rivers.
Although last month’s weather systems were especially strong, claiming the lives of several people, the coming storm is set to be milder in nature.
“Initially it seemed as though the system will be much stronger [than it is expected to be],” said Meteorologist Tzahi Waxman from Meteo-Tech meteorological company. “Still, it will be a cold and rainy weekend.”
On Friday, there will be strong winds and heavy rain, occasionally accompanied by thunderstorms, which will gradually spread from the northern to the southern parts of the country.
There are fears of flooding in the Negev region as the rainfall is expected to intensify in the afternoon and evening hours.
On Saturday, rain is expected mostly in northern and central Israel, occasionally accompanied by thunderstorms. In addition, heavy snowfall is expected on Mount Hermon as well as light snow in the northern Golan Heights.
In the northern Negev, the weather will be mostly dry and misty. Floods are possible in the Judean Desert, Dead Sea region and the Jordan Valley. Rainfall is expected to taper off by the afternoon.
Waxman added most of the precipitation of this storm system will fall on a night between Friday and Saturday. “Heavy rains [overnight Friday] are expected to be accompanied by thunderstorms and hail,” he said. “In Jerusalem and Safed, the rain will be more frequent.”