Sea of Galilee beats yearly average, with 48 weeks to spare

The Sea of Galilee has already collected enough water to reach its average yearly total, with over 330 days left to round out the total.

Thanks to the heaviest winter rains Israel has seen in decades earlier this month, the lake hit the 1.57 meter mark late last week — the average yearly intake — raising it to 210.84 meters below sea level, the highest it has been since 2006.

With another storm system set to hit Israel on Sunday, this month may be the rainiest January since measurements began to be taken in 1966, Maariv reported Sunday. The next rainiest January was in 2004, when the lake’s level rose by 1.09 meters.

Earlier this month, Israel was pummeled with several days of rain, heavy winds, and eventually, snow, flooding streams and rivers across the country and giving the Sea of Galilee a much-needed boost.

In 2009, the Sea of Galilee hit its lowest point in history, 214.87 meters below sea level, after several years of drought.

With January’s rains, the lake is now only two meters below the upper red line of 208.80 meters below sea level, beyond which floodgates must be opened to prevent water damage.

Since the end of the storm, the Sea of Galilee’s level has risen 1-3 centimeters a day, aided by melting snow.