Man seriously injured as balcony collapses in storm; heavy rain, high winds pummel Israel
Tel Aviv building damaged as 70-year-old taken to hospital; lanes closed on Route 4, several southern roads shut; fallen tree crushes car in Herzliya, driver narrowly avoids injury
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As torrential rain and intense winds pummeled Israel on Monday, a Tel Aviv apartment building’s balcony collapsed, seriously injuring a 70-year-old man.
According to Magen David Adom medics, the man was found lying on the sidewalk on central Tel Aviv’s Herzl Street, partially conscious with serious trauma wounds.
Emergency services said the man fell when a portion of the balcony fell out from under him, and that they took the man to get treated at the nearby Ichilov Medical Center.
The storm, which kicked off over the weekend, reached its peak Monday, bringing rainy and unseasonably cold weather to Israel, with the weather service forecasting between 50 and 75 millimeters (two to three inches) of precipitation before 3 p.m.
The storm brought heavy rain, hail, downed trees, road closures and extreme weather warnings from the Israel Meteorological Service. It caused flooding in cities across the country, and authorities closed several roads and highways due to dangerous conditions.
According to reports in Hebrew media, authorities closed southern Israel’s Route 234 and Route 227 in both directions due to major flooding.
*פצוע קשה כתוצאה מקריסת מרפסת בתל אביב*
דוברות איחוד הצלה – מחוז מרכז: צוותי הרפואה של איחוד הצלה העניקו סיוע רפואי לגבר כבן 70 שנפצע קשה ברחוב הרצל בתל אביב.
*דוד בן אלול חובש איחוד הצלה סיפר*: ״נמסר לי כי הוא נפל מגובה עם חלק מהמרפסת שקרסה עקב הגשמים. בעקבות כך הוא נחבל בראש pic.twitter.com/LDYuptny7Q
— כל החדשות בזמן אמת (@Saher_News_24_7) December 29, 2025
Police also closed several of Route 4’s southbound lanes outside Holon, causing heavy traffic in the major Tel Aviv suburb.
Strong winds, which reached up to 100 kilometers per hour (60 miles per hour) in coastal areas and 90 kph (55 mph) in northern Israel’s hills and mountains, caused several trees to fall in cities and towns across the country. One downed tree crushed a car in Herzliya, narrowly missing its driver, with emergency personnel saying the driver “miraculously” avoided injury.
הרצליה: עץ קרס על רכב ברחוב העצמאות, בחסדי ה' נהג הרכב לא נפצע. pic.twitter.com/DCbJIsdlKL
— זירת החדשות (@ZiratNews) December 29, 2025
Trees also fell in Jerusalem, blocking roads and causing traffic backups as commuters tried to brave the heavy rain, flooding and high winds.
In Haifa, heavy rainfall caused the hillside city’s iconic stairways to turn into waterfalls, as residents reported they were unable to access public transportation due to flooding.
The Meteorological Service also issued severe flash flood warnings across Israel’s desert regions, telling citizens to avoid riverbeds and valleys that are especially susceptible to dangerous floods.
בגלל הצפה ענקית: כמה לכודים על גג רכב בצומת מגידו, כוחות חילוץ הוקפצו pic.twitter.com/GdbIeY3MLb
— סודות הנגב (@News_Secrets_of) December 29, 2025
Additionally, the service issued warnings against swimming or surfing in the Mediterranean Sea due to high waves, dangerous currents and cold temperatures.
The extreme weather is expected to subside Monday evening, with clearer skies and warmer temperatures returning Tuesday and Wednesday.
Rain is forecast to resume Thursday, though the storm is expected to be light and last for just a day.
The Times of Israel Community.