Snow blankets Jerusalem, transforming city into winter wonderland

Jerusalem residents woke up Thursday to a blanket of white after a rare storm saw around 20 centimeters of snow settle on the capital overnight, delighting adults and children alike.

However, it may not last for long, with rain starting on Thursday morning set to continue into the weekend in most parts of the country, along with a slight rise in temperatures.

The severe weather system, dubbed Elpis, had dropped snow on the north of the county from early Wednesday morning, with the conditions spreading steadily south throughout the day.

Municipal workers worked through the night to clear roads in the city, with 250 snow plows deployed and nearly 150 tons of salt spread over roads.

But schools and kindergartens remained shut on Thursday, allowing the children of the city to enjoy the snow.

Israel’s central hilly region, including Jerusalem, gets snowfall once every few years, though forecasts of snow often don’t pan out. The storm also brought snow to the north, and other parts of the country saw strong winds and heavy rainfall.

Snow at the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

Snow in Mea Shearim, Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 Nati Shohat/Flash90

Church of Mary Magdalene after snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

A man stands on the snow while praying at the Western Wall, Jan. 27, 2022 (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog build a snowman at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Haim Zach/GPO)

Person walks in the snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

Snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

A snowman at the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Nati Shohat/Flash90)

Snow covers Jerusalem’s Old City, Jan. 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Snow in Jerusalem, January 27, 2022 (Nati Shohat/Flash90)