Israel recorded its hottest day in nearly a year on Monday, with temperatures reaching 44.7°C (112.5°F) at the Israel Meteorological Service’s Sodom station near the southern Dead Sea.
The reading was the highest measured in the country since Aug. 15 last year and broke the annual record set only a day earlier, when the same station registered 44.3°C (111.7°F).
The Dead Sea
(Photo: World-Footage / shutterstock)
Temperatures exceeded 40°C (104°F) across the southern Dead Sea region, the Arava and as far south as Eilat as the heat wave continued to affect the entire country. In most areas, temperatures were 3°C to 4°C (5.4°F to 7.2°F) higher than during the preceding days.
Conditions were particularly oppressive along the coast, where high humidity compounded temperatures of around 30°C (86°F). Humidity reached 74% in Ashkelon and 75% in both Nahariya and Tel Aviv during the afternoon, producing very heavy heat stress along the coastal plain and in the Shfela.
The Israel Meteorological Service said temperatures would ease slightly over the next two days before rising again on Wednesday. Humid and uncomfortable conditions are expected along the coast, while heat stress will intensify across the rest of the country.
Thursday is also expected to be hotter than usual for the season, with very high humidity along the coast and severe heat stress in many areas.
Long-range forecasts indicate that the second half of July will be warmer than average, at times significantly so. The relatively mild weather experienced in June already appears distant, with an extended period of intense heat and heavy heat stress expected in the weeks ahead.
Forecast temperatures for Monday and overnight were: Jerusalem 22°C–32°C (72°F–90°F), Tel Aviv 23°C–31°C (73°F–88°F), Haifa 23°C–31°C (73°F–88°F), Safed 23°C–33°C (73°F–91°F), Katzrin 22°C–38°C (72°F–100°F), Tiberias 24°C–37°C (75°F–99°F), Nazareth 23°C–36°C (73°F–97°F), Afula 21°C–36°C (70°F–97°F), Beit She’an 25°C–40°C (77°F–104°F), Lod 22°C–33°C (72°F–91°F), Ashdod 23°C–32°C (73°F–90°F), Ein Gedi 29°C–40°C (84°F–104°F), Be'er Sheva 22°C–36°C (72°F–97°F), Mitzpe Ramon 24°C–35°C (75°F–95°F) and Eilat 31°C–42°C (88°F–108°F).