Winter has officially arrived in Israel as the season's first snow fell on the peak of Mount Hermon early Saturday, the site officials said.
The workers at Israel's only ski resort discovered a thin, five-centimeter layer of snow at the upper level of the site, at an altitude of about 2,040 meters (6,692 feet), where temperatures dropped to 0 degrees Celsius for the first time this season.
First snow on Mount Hermon on Saturday
(Photo: Mount Hermon Ski Resort )
The Mount Hermon Ski Resort's spokesperson they were surprised to discover the snow and said the site hopes for more "similar surprises" to come soon.
In addition, unexpected lightning and thunderstorms, not predicted by any weather forecast, hit southern Israel in the afternoon, including areas in the Negev Desert that so far have seen little to no rain this season.
Local rain is expected in other parts of the country as well, in some areas accompanied by lightning and thunder.
Temperatures around the country are set to be colder than average all throughout Saturday and early Sunday.
In the northern city of Haifa, the temperatures will rise from 14 degrees Celsius at night to 17 degrees during the day. In Tel Aviv, the weather will be similar with a range of 14 degrees at night and 20 degrees during the day. In Jerusalem, the weather will be cooler, reaching 10 degrees Celsius at night and rising to 16 degrees during the day.
In the southern city of Be’er Sheva, temperatures will range from 11 degrees at night and 21 during the day. In Israel's southernmost city of Eilat, the weather will remain warm with 16 degrees at night and 25 during the day.
On Sunday, local rain is expected in northern parts of the country and along the coastal plain. On Monday, the temperatures will slightly increase, with warm weather set to reign in across the country for the rest of the week.