Israelis head into stormy weekend

Short break of unseasonably warm weather gives way to colder temperatures and rainfall

An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man holds an umbrella on Jaffa Street, downtown Jerusalem on a rainy day, October 25, 2015. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man holds an umbrella on Jaffa Street, downtown Jerusalem on a rainy day, October 25, 2015. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The short break of warm weather enjoyed by Israelis this week ended Thursday evening, giving way to cold, wintry temperatures across the country over the weekend.

Meteorologists said temperatures would drop sharply by Friday morning, with rainstorms expected in northern and central Israel.

On Saturday evening, temperatures could drop as low at 4° Celsius in Jerusalem, 10°C in Tel Aviv, 8°C in Haifa, 6°C in Beersheba and a freezing, snowy -8°C at Mt. Hermon, the country’s only ski resort.

The rain is expected to taper off by Saturday afternoon, and temperatures are expected to rise on Sunday for the rest of the week.

Last week, roads were closed in northern and southern parts of Israel, as snow fell in the former and flash floods hit the latter during a heavy winter storm felt across the country. Parts of the Golan saw heavy snowfall by Saturday morning, with some 45 centimeters hitting the lower parts of Mount Hermon and 60 cm on its upper slopes last Saturday evening.

Israelis enjoy the snow on Mount Hermon, during a major winter storm sweeping the country on January 1, 2016. (Photo by Basel Awidat/Flash90)
Israelis enjoy the snow on Mount Hermon, during a major winter storm sweeping the country on January 1, 2016. (Photo by Basel Awidat/Flash90)

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