From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Mercury climbs as heat wave bakes country for second day
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
Temperatures are starting to heat up across the country as Israel enters the second day of a stifling heat wave blanketing parts of the country and the West Bank.
As of 9 a.m., temperatures in Sodom, on the Dead Sea’s southern evaporation pool, had climbed to 35.5º C (95.9º F), with the mercury expected to reach into the low 40s Celsius (105º to 112º F) in the afternoon.
The Jordan Valley and the eastern flank of the country stretching from Eilat to Metula are under an extreme heat warning issued by the Israel Meteorological Service. The warning covers part of the Galilee and Golan Heights as well as other parts of the interior.
The rest of the country is under moderate and mild heat warnings, with temperatures expected to largely remain below 35º C (95º F).
While marking the hottest days of the year so far, the temperatures are only a few degrees off the seasonal average, and well below record levels, which have topped 49º C (120º F).
On Saturday, temperatures in the region topped out at 45.2º C (113.4º F), recorded at Gilgal in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley. Inside Israel, both Sodom and Kfar Nahum near the Sea of Galilee hit a high 43.6º C (110.5º F).
Temperatures nationwide are expected to slide closer toward seasonal averages starting Tuesday, though they will remain slightly elevated.
The heatwave comes as parts of Europe and East Asia are experiencing record heat, with scientists warning that extreme weather events such as heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of human-induced climate change.
The Times of Israel Community.