Israel is expected to see a gradual rise in temperatures this week, peaking toward the weekend with possible heat wave conditions.
Sunday’s weather will be partly cloudy to clear, with another slight rise in temperatures, mainly in the mountains and inland areas. Temperatures will be near the seasonal average. From noon, light local rain may fall in parts of northeastern Israel.
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Cooling off in a fountain amid heavy heat in Lyon, France
(Photo: Jeff PACHOUD / AFP)
Monday and Tuesday are expected to remain close to the average for early June. In the second half of the week, temperatures will climb slightly above normal, and by the weekend a heat wave, possibly a heavy one, may develop.
Dr. Amir Givati, director of the Israel Meteorological Service, said the seasonal trough, known among meteorologists as the Persian trough, is already affecting the region, stabilizing the weather and so far preventing especially hot air from reaching Israel.
Forecast highs and lows for Sunday: Jerusalem 16-27°C (61-81°F), Tel Aviv 20-26°C (68-79°F), Haifa 18-25°C (64-77°F), Safed 15-27°C (59-81°F), Katzrin 16-31°C (61-88°F), Tiberias 19-32°C (66-90°F), Nazareth 17-30°C (63-86°F), Afula 17-31°C (63-88°F), Beit She’an 20-34°C (68-93°F), Lod 19-28°C (66-82°F), Ashdod 19-27°C (66-81°F), Ein Gedi 23-35°C (73-95°F), Be'er Sheva 18-31°C (64-88°F), Mitzpe Ramon 18-29°C (64-84°F) and Eilat 25-37°C (77-99°F).
While Israel has so far avoided extreme heat, much of the Northern Hemisphere has not. Over the past week, thousands of weather stations recorded new May temperature records, from Africa to Europe, where the heat affected players at the French Open, and across large parts of Asia.
In 10 cities in countries including Kuwait, Iran and Pakistan, temperatures exceeded 50°C (122°F), while many other areas in Asia came close to that mark.