Storm Byron battered Israel over two days of heavy rain, triggering widespread flooding across the south, closing major highways and pushing rivers to near-record levels, according to the Israel Meteorological Service.
Officials said rainfall totals in parts of the southern coastal plain and western Negev reached roughly half of the annual average in just two days. In some locations, it was the wettest 24-hour period since the early 2010s — and in a few stations, since the 1990s.
Storm Byron
(Video: Amir Yarchi)
The meteorological service said the storm was an extreme and rare rainfall event, occurring only once every 10 to 30 years in terms of both intensity and geographic spread, particularly along the southern coast.
Among the highest totals recorded between Thursday and Friday were 176 millimeters (6.9 inches) at Yad Mordechai, 168 millimeters at Kibbutz Erez, 156 millimeters at Gevaram and 154 millimeters at Talmei Yafeh.
In the Gaza border region, the downpours caused rivers — especially the Shikma basin and its tributaries — to surge close to historic peaks. Several major roads were closed, including sections of Highway 6 near the Ma’ahaz interchange, Highway 40 and Highway 232. Emergency services carried out numerous rescues in Ashkelon and nearby communities due to flooding.
The heaviest rainfall was measured along the Carmel coast, where 200 to 220 millimeters fell. Nahal Me’arot recorded 221 millimeters, Atlit 215 millimeters, Kibbutz Hahotrim 210 millimeters and Nir Etzion 209 millimeters. In the coastal plain, including Yavne and surrounding towns, 100 to 150 millimeters fell, leading to widespread urban flooding.
Mount Hermon after Storm Byron
Storm Byron also reached Mount Hermon, where about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) of snow accumulated at the upper elevations.
Forecasters warned that another round of severe weather is expected early in the week. Cold air is forecast to return Monday, bringing renewed rainfall from the north to the central Negev. The focus is again expected to be Ashkelon, the Gaza border region and the western Negev, where dozens of millimeters — and in some areas up to 100 millimeters in a single day — could fall, raising renewed concerns about flooding.
Flooding is also expected in streams in the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea area, the Negev and the Arava through Tuesday. The meteorological service has issued an orange-level warning for heavy rain and flooding along the southern coast and parts of the Negev.
By Wednesday, some areas along the southern coast and western Negev could reach their full annual rainfall totals, despite the rainy season still being in its early stages, forecasters said.