After a brief lull in precipitation following Storm Byron, rain returned across much of the country on Monday, from the Lebanese border to the Arava region. Roads in southern Israel were closed due to the downpours, and only shortly before midnight was the road to Eilat reopened after the city was cut off for hours by flooding. As of 9 p.m., Hadera recorded the highest rainfall totals, with 40.6 millimeters, including 25.5 millimeters in just one hour.
The rain system entered the area during the afternoon, and the Israel Meteorological Service warned of potential flooding along the coast, particularly in the southern Coastal Plain and the southern Judaean foothills. Significant flash floods were also forecast from north of the Dead Sea southward to the central Negev and the Arava.
Due to the flood risk, which materialized in parts of the south, several roads were closed to traffic, including Route 234 at the Tze’elim Bridge; Route 222 between the Tze’elim Junction and Be’er Hadaj; Route 40 between the Zipporim Junction, Mitzpe Ramon and the Tzihor Junction to the Ketura Junction; Route 12 between Neot Smadar and Eilat; Route 13 between the Tzihor and Menucha junctions; and Route 90 between Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea hotels, continuing to the Arava Junction.
Rainfall totals varied widely across the country. In Tel Aviv, between 10 millimeters were recorded in the city’s south and 22 millimeters in the north. Jerusalem received between 5 and 9 millimeters; Haifa between 9 and 14.5 millimeters; Beersheba 14.4 millimeters; Nahariya 7 millimeters; Acre 9.2 millimeters; Nazareth 10.7 millimeters; Tiberias 4.8 millimeters; the Kiryat Shmona area 5.6 millimeters; Merom Golan 2.3 millimeters; Karnei Shomron 10.7 millimeters; Ariel 12.8 millimeters; and Har Harasha in the Binyamin region 18.2 millimeters.
In Rishon LeZion, 13.8 millimeters were measured; Ben Gurion Airport recorded 14.9 millimeters; Ashdod Port 12.7 millimeters; Ashkelon 10.3 millimeters; the Sderot area 15.9 millimeters; the Ofakim area 13.2 millimeters; Mitzukei Dragot near the Dead Sea 1.8 millimeters; Sodom 5.1 millimeters; Hatzava in the Arava 8.3 millimeters; Paran 7.8 millimeters; and Yotvata 0.3 millimeters. According to the Meteorological Service, no rain has yet fallen in Eilat itself, despite access to the city being blocked due to rainfall in the Arava.
Flooding last week in Ashkelon and Kiryat Gat due to heavy rains brought by Storm Byron
(Video: Israel Fire and Rescue)
During the morning hours on Tuesday, localized rain is still expected, with isolated thunderstorms mainly in southern Israel. A slight risk of flash floods remains in streams in the Dead Sea area, the Judean Desert, the northern Arava and the Negev. In the afternoon, brisk northerly winds are expected along the coast. Rain is forecast to resume in the evening, from northern Israel to the Negev, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms.
On Wednesday morning, localized rain is still expected in southern Israel, with isolated thunderstorms possible. A slight risk of flash floods in southern streams remains, and temperatures are expected to drop, becoming colder than usual for the season. From the afternoon hours, the rain is forecast to taper off. From Thursday, no rain is expected, at least through the end of Hanukkah.
According to the Meteorological Service’s summary of Storm Byron, the heavy rainfall erased precipitation deficits in many parts of southern Israel and along the coast, and even led to a significant surplus in some areas. In the Dan region, the deficit was significantly reduced, while in the northern mountains it narrowed more moderately.