A day after Israel recorded historic heat levels for November, beaches across the country filled Saturday as unseasonably high temperatures continued to break records from the Hula Valley in the north to Eilat in the south.
Dr. Amir Givati, head of the Israel Meteorological Service, said temperature records for the final third of November fell again on Saturday.
Eilat was the hottest point in the country, reaching 37.3°C (99.1°F), surpassing the previous mark of 34.9°C (94.8°F) for this time of year. At the Gilgal station in the Jordan Valley, temperatures hit 35.6°C (96.1°F) compared with the previous record of 33.2°C (91.8°F). Additional stations that broke records included Dafna, Kfar Blum, Ayelet Hashahar, Zemach and Sedom.
Along the coastal plain and lowlands, temperatures reached only one degree below Friday’s new record. The Sea of Galilee also reached a seasonal high of 33.1°C (91.6°F).
Despite the heat, rain is expected to return this week. A brief but intense rainfall is forecast for late Monday and especially early Tuesday. “Rain could fall almost anywhere in the center and north,” Givati said.
He added that heavy rain is possible in the northern Negev, the lowlands, Samaria and the northern valleys, raising concerns for flooding in lowland cities and in parts of the southern coastal plain, the center and the valleys early Tuesday. Flash floods are also possible in the Dead Sea region. Rain is expected to taper off during the day Tuesday.
Forecast temperatures for Saturday night and Sunday:
Jerusalem 17°–26°C (63°–79°F), Tel Aviv 20°–33°C (68°–91°F), Haifa 23°–30°C (73°–86°F), Safed 19°–24°C (66°–75°F), Katzrin 20°–28°C (68°–82°F), Tiberias 20°–31°C (68°–88°F), Nazareth 21°–28°C (70°–82°F), Afula 20°–31°C (68°–88°F), Beit Shean 20°–32°C (68°–90°F), Lod 19°–33°C (66°–91°F), Ashdod 18°–29°C (64°–84°F), Ein Gedi 23°–30°C (73°–86°F), Beersheba 20°–30°C (68°–86°F), Mitzpe Ramon 19°–25°C (66°–77°F), Eilat 25°–33°C (77°–91°F).