A heat wave has settled over Israel, with temperatures expected to rise slightly Monday, particularly in the mountains and inland areas, where conditions will be hotter than usual and dry. Along the coastal plain, conditions will be hot and humid, while heavy to extreme heat stress is expected across most of the country.
After morning cloud cover clears, skies will become mostly clear, with clear to partly cloudy conditions overnight.
Tel Aviv beach
(Photo: AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
On Tuesday, temperatures will remain above seasonal averages, with dry heat in the mountains and inland areas and humid conditions along the coast. Heavy to extreme heat stress will continue across most regions.
A slight drop in temperatures is expected Wednesday, mainly in the mountains and inland areas, although conditions will still remain hotter than usual and dry in those regions and humid along the coastal plain. Heavy to extreme heat stress will persist across much of the country, with mostly clear skies throughout the day.
Another slight decline in temperatures is forecast for Thursday, primarily in the mountains and inland areas. Heavy to extreme heat stress will nevertheless continue across most of Israel. Skies will remain clear, with temperatures still above seasonal averages, dry conditions inland and humid weather along the coast.
Israel Meteorological Service Director Dr. Amir Givati told the ynet studio Sunday that the entire week was expected to remain unusually hot. “Basically, the entire coming week is going to be very hot, 4-5 degrees above average,” he said. “It will definitely be a hot week, not like Europe with 40-degree temperatures, but certainly hotter than usual and very dry. There is also a fire risk this week, and hopefully we will get through it safely. There is some good news, though, at the end of the forecast for next Saturday, when there may even be rain.”
Givati said the possibility was unusual for August, while cautioning that any rainfall would not signal the arrival of fall. “I find it a little hard to believe I’m saying this in August, but not heavy rain,” he said. “It’s still not fall or winter, but after this heat wave finally ends on Thursday or Friday, we see a real drop in temperatures, and the models are even showing rain that is more than just a drizzle. It’s still far off, another six or seven days, so we’ll wait a little.”
Forecast temperatures for Monday and overnight: Jerusalem 23-33°C (73-91°F), Tel Aviv 23-32°C (73-90°F), Haifa 23-32°C (73-90°F), Safed 24-33°C (75-91°F), Katzrin 21-39°C (70-102°F), Tiberias 23-39°C (73-102°F), Nazareth 23-36°C (73-97°F), Afula 22-37°C (72-99°F), Beit She’an 26-41°C (79-106°F), Lod 23-34°C (73-93°F), Ashdod 24-32°C (75-90°F), Ein Gedi 19-41°C (66-106°F), Beersheba 21-37°C (70-99°F), Mitzpe Ramon 25-36°C (77-97°F) and Eilat 31-42°C (88-108°F).