Another rain system began affecting Israel on Tuesday, only days after Storm Byron exited the region, with forecasters warning of heavy rainfall and flooding in several areas, particularly in the Negev, the Israel Meteorological Service said.
Light rain fell in the morning, but precipitation was expected to intensify from midday. The meteorological service issued orange-level warnings for significant rainfall totals across wide parts of the country and for possible flooding in flood-prone areas.
Between 2 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, rainfall of 50 to 75 millimeters is forecast for the central and southern coastal plain, the Shephelah, northwestern Negev and western Negev. In the Judean Desert and Dead Sea area, northeastern Negev, Negev Highlands, eastern Negev and northern Arava, 15 to 25 millimeters are expected within less than 24 hours. Flooding is possible, especially in the Shephelah and the central and southern coastal plain.
Overnight, skies are expected to be partly to mostly cloudy, with scattered showers across most of the country. Flood risks will remain in the Judean Desert and Dead Sea region. Rain will continue intermittently Wednesday morning, accompanied by isolated thunderstorms, with continued concern for flooding in streams of the Judean Desert and northern Arava. Rain is expected to gradually weaken from the afternoon.
On Wednesday, temperatures will be colder than usual for the season, with a chance of light, localized rain, mainly in the southern coastal area and the Negev. On Thursday, temperatures will rise slightly, particularly in the mountains, but will remain below seasonal averages.
In a summary of Storm Byron, the Israel Meteorological Service said the heavy rainfall erased precipitation deficits in many areas of southern Israel and along the coast and even produced significant surpluses in some locations. In the Tel Aviv area, the deficit was sharply reduced, while in the northern mountains it declined more modestly.
The highest rainfall totals during the storm were recorded in the Haifa and Carmel region, including 212 millimeters in Atlit, 209 millimeters in Nahal Me’arot and 207 millimeters in Hahoterim. Southern coastal areas to the northern Gaza periphery recorded 130 to 170 millimeters, while the Shephelah and Gush Etzion areas saw 100 to 150 millimeters. Similar amounts fell along the northern coastal plain north of Acre. Central and southern coastal areas up to Ashdod and the Judean Mountains received 80 to 120 millimeters.
Lower totals were measured farther inland, with 40 to 70 millimeters in the Galilee, Jezreel Valley, Samaria and Hula Valley, and 20 to 40 millimeters around the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights. The Jordan Valley, Dead Sea area and northern Negev recorded 30 to 40 millimeters. The Arava received 3 to 8 millimeters, while central and southern Negev areas saw less than 5 millimeters.
During the 24-hour period of December 11, more than 100 millimeters fell at stations along the southern coastal plain and in the northern Gaza border reigon. Erez recorded 110 millimeters and Yad Mordechai 97 millimeters. Such daily totals have occurred only four or five times over roughly 80 years of measurements at those stations.
Exceptional daily totals were also recorded in Gush Etzion, including 97 millimeters at Rosh Tzurim, with only three comparable events in the station’s 50-year record, most recently in 1997. At the Eliav station in eastern Lachish, 112 millimeters fell in a single day, an unprecedented amount for the area when compared with long-term data from nearby Beit Guvrin, which has recorded rainfall since 1950.