Israel is set to experience three more days of unseasonably warm, dry and sunny weather before a sharp shift brings strong winds and widespread rain later this week, forecasters said Tuesday.
Tuesday’s weather is expected to be mostly clear to partly cloudy. Strong easterly winds will blow through the northern mountains in the morning, and temperatures will rise slightly throughout the day, especially in inland and mountainous areas, reaching levels higher than average for the season. Along the coastal plain and lowlands, temperatures may drop slightly. Patchy fog is expected overnight in the southern coastal plain and southern lowlands, potentially reducing visibility.
Wednesday will be partly cloudy to clear, with another slight temperature increase expected in northern and central highland areas. On Thursday, skies will be partly cloudy with high-altitude clouds and continued warming. Temperatures will remain above seasonal averages.
The change will arrive Friday. Westerly winds will strengthen, peaking in the evening with gusts of up to 90 kph (56 mph) in coastal and mountainous regions. Rain will spread from northern Israel to the northern Negev, with heavier rainfall expected inland and in higher elevations. In the Golan Heights, Galilee and Judean Hills, rainfall totals are forecast to reach 40–50 mm (1.5–2 inches) or more.
Flash floods are expected in desert areas, including the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea region and parts of the western and northern Negev. Rainfall is expected to taper off on Saturday.
Forecasted high and low temperatures for Tuesday:
Jerusalem 10–21°C (50–70°F),
Tel Aviv 13–21°C (55–70°F),
Haifa 14–20°C (57–68°F),
Safed 10–15°C (50–59°F),
Katzrin 11–19°C (52–66°F),
Tiberias 11–21°C (52–70°F),
Nazareth 12–19°C (54–66°F),
Afula 12–21°C (54–70°F),
Beit She’an 10–21°C (50–70°F),
Lod 10–23°C (50–73°F),
Ashdod 10–21°C (50–70°F),
Ein Gedi 15–20°C (59–68°F),
Be'er Sheva 11–24°C (52–75°F),
Mitzpe Ramon 12–20°C (54–68°F),
Eilat 14–25°C (57–77°F).