First seasonal rains expected to soak Israel

Scattered showers predicted nationwide Wednesday; hiking trails closed in Dead Sea region due to flash flood warning

By ToI Staff 6 October 2015, 11:59 am

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Israelis hold umbrellas to protect themselves from the rain as they walk on Jaffa Street, downtown Jerusalem, October 31, 2014. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

As the Jewish holiday season came to a close, forecasters predicted an abrupt seasonal shift, with the first rains of the winter season expected to douse northern and central Israel beginning Tuesday, followed by scattered showers nationwide through Friday.

The rainfall was predicted to begin late Tuesday afternoon in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area and northern Israel.

By Wednesday morning, most of the country was expected to see some rain.

After an unseasonably hot start to October, temperatures were set to drop beginning Tuesday and stay low through the end of the week, and on-and-off rain showers were likely to drench the north and center through Friday.

A flash flood warning was in effect in the Dead Sea region and Judean desert, and trails in the area were closed off to hikers.

The weather forecast Tuesday saw temperatures in Tel Aviv hover between 21°-28° (69°-82°F) in Jerusalem 16°-25° (60°-77°F), in Beersheba 20°-29° (68°-84°F), and Haifa 21°-28° (69°-82°F).