The Meteorological Service issued a yellow warning Saturday for thunderstorms and lightning in parts of northern Israel as an unusual bout of summer rain approached the country, though forecasters said rainfall was now expected to be lighter and less widespread than initially predicted.
The warning, issued Saturday afternoon, covers the northern mountains, the Hula Valley and the Sea of Galilee area. Rain could begin falling in northern Israel as early as Saturday evening.
The Meteorological Service said Friday that despite earlier forecasts, rain was unlikely to reach large parts of the country and that rainfall totals would be lower than initially expected.
“The amounts that reach us will be small and will be concentrated in the Western Galilee,” Meteorological Service Director Dr. Amir Givati said Saturday.
Givati said neighboring countries, including Cyprus, Lebanon and even Iraq, were already experiencing rain and stormy conditions.
“Some of that will reach northern Israel tonight, the Galilee and the Golan Heights,” he said.
Nicosia, Cyprus
(Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP)
Local rainfall, primarily in northern Israel, is expected to continue through Sunday afternoon.
The unusual summer weather has already reached Cyprus, where Israelis received emergency alerts on their phones — notifications that some said were reminiscent of the alerts they received during the war with Iran.
Maayan, an Israeli passenger aboard a Blue Bird Airways flight from Larnaca to Israel, described a turbulent journey as the storm battered Cyprus.
“It started raining and the takeoff was delayed,” she said. “We sat on the plane for nearly an hour. The plane was shaking because of the winds, and from the moment we took off, it just kept dropping in the air. Every few seconds everyone was being thrown up from their seats and there were screams.”
Nicosia, Cyprus
(Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP)
She said the landing in Israel was also difficult.
“The plane circled in the air and people were white with fear,” she said.
Maayan said receiving an emergency warning on her phone amid the severe weather added to the anxiety.
“It was very stressful,” she said. “The situation itself was already frightening, and then an alert popped up — the kind we know all too well back home. It was terrifying.”
The storm, strong winds and heavy rainfall have caused damage in several parts of Cyprus. Trees were knocked down, roads were blocked, power outages were reported and greenhouses were damaged. Cypriot media also reported that lightning struck a utility pole, sparking a fire.
In Israel, scattered rain could continue into Monday morning, mainly in the north.
Conditions are expected to improve Tuesday, the first day of the school year. Temperatures are forecast to rise slightly and reach levels somewhat above the seasonal average.