Rains drench Israel, snow cools the north
Following a particularly protracted summer, snow falls for the first time this winter in Mount Hermon, while heavy rains and strong thunder expected to continue to sweep across Israel throughout the weekend.
With the strong rainfall comes the risk of floods which will possibly bring movement to a standstill in a number of locations throughout the country, particularly in the center of cities.
The cooling temperatures and wetter conditions are not the only offers of respite in what has been an extremely protracted summer and a grave cause for concern for Israel’s farmers and population alike.
Friday morning also saw the first reports of snowfall in the Hermon Mountains in the north, with up to 20cm of snow dropping on areas popular for snowboarding etc.
“My hope is that tomorrow we will be able to open the area to visitors,” said Liron Mills who manages the Mount Hermon Ski Resort. “Snow will continue to fall today and is expected to intensify until the afternoon when it will become a little more relaxed. Meantime, the conditions are not right for boarding the snow. We are far from that.”
Mills enthused at the first glimpse of snow: “Like every Israeli, I am extremely excited by every snowflake even though I see them every winter. It is a time that makes me very happy and I am excited to start the winter.”
So far, in areas of the Golan Heights almost 100mm of rain have fallen while central Israel has been showered with 80mm, causing flooding in a number of areas.
Winds are expected to reach speeds of up to 80km throughout Friday while rains are forecast to dwindle toward the evening.
