Israel on Monday experienced the peak of an extreme cold wave nicknamed Koral, with snow falling in the northern and central mountains, the Galilee and the Jerusalem area. Light snow was also reported in Efrat, Ofra and Isfiya in the Carmel region for the first time since 2016.
Temperatures reached their lowest point overnight, dropping below freezing in the north and hitting 0°C (32°F) in Jerusalem. Along the coastal plain, temperatures fell to 6°C (43°F). According to the Israel Meteorological Service, temperatures across the country — except for the Dead Sea region — stood below 10°C (50°F) for the first time in several years.
Snow in northern Israel
(Video: Nof Hagalil municipality, Mount Hermon Resort, Ofer Moskovitz, Shimon Ben Gida)
Snow in the northern Golan Heights
(Video: Effi Sarir, El-Rom Tourism, Adi Fieda, Motti Fieda)
Light snow continues to fall in the northern and central mountains and the Galilee on Monday, though no significant accumulation is expected. Light drizzle or localized rain may occur from northern Israel to the northern Negev overnight. Mount Hermon reported a temperature of -5°C (23°F) at the lower level, where the snow depth is around 20 cm (8 in).
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Snow fell overnight in the north and central mountains above 500–600 meters (1,640–1,970 feet), though it didn't accumulate except in the Upper Galilee. Snow also fell in Isfiya, a town in the Carmel region near Haifa, For the first time in nine years. The last snowfalls in Haifa took place in late January 2016 and before that on February 20, 2015.
In the coming days, temperatures are expected to remain low, with overnight frost but little precipitation. Light local rain may fall from northern Israel to the Negev in the afternoon.