Rain drenches parched Israel
Two days of rain swell rivers in Israel, bring snow to Mt. Hermon, and cause the water level in the Sea of Galilee to rise; however, farmers remain worried that the region still isn't out of a multi-year drought.
The storm system which hit the Levant region over the past few days brought with it a huge amount of rainfall.
Over 100mm of rainfall were recorded in the Galilee and the Golan, while a similar amount fell in the Haifa area. Over 80mm fell in the Kinneret region, 62mm in Jerusalem, 40mm in the Tel Aviv area, 2mm in Arad, and 16mm in Beer Sheva. The southern Negev deserts registered almost one full millimeter.
"This was great for the northern sector," said Tzahi Waxman of Mateotech Meteorology. "It came right on the heels of the last system, enabling the ground to stay wet and moist, and causing an increase in the water level in the Sea of Galilee of several millimeters."
"The storm has ended, but now we are seeing unstable atmospheric conditions caused by air being heated by the sea in the west and cold air coming from the north," Waxman continued.
Waxman finished by saying, "The combination of cold air coming from the north and warm air coming from the sea will form a barometric depression. This is liable to cause clouds to form and pop-up thunderstorms to occur."
Meanwhile, farmers in the Galilee, who have already endured several years of drought, have expressed cautious optimism following the rainfall. Yisrael Bloch of the town of Nahalal said, "The rain came right on time and helped the sprouts peek out from underneath the soil. They say that there might be another year of drought this year, but as of now, it seems like this will be a good year."
Hermon to open on Friday
Workers at the Mt. Hermon winter sport destination have expressed their disappointment at the fact that only 10mm fell on the foothills of Mt. Hermon. Meanwhile, the top of the mountain saw some 30-40mm of snow fall, including snow from the last winter storm system.
The site remains closed while workers clear the trails of ice and other hazards. The site is supposed to open on Friday. Entrance will be free, but those wishing to ride the cable cars will still have to pay a fee.
