Sweltering heat bakes Israel in one of the hottest November days on record

Unseasonably high temperatures baked coastal Israel for a second day in a row on Saturday, as the country endured one of the hottest November days in its 77-year history.

According to the Israel Meteorological Service, Friday was Israel’s single hottest late November day on record, and the heat wave continued into the following day, as several locations throughout Israel notched historical records for November 22.

“A heatwave still prevails today, with record highs for the month of November, mainly on the coast and Shfela,” a low-lying southern-central region, the service said in a statement a little after noon.

The service added that in those areas, temperatures had exceeded 34°C (93°F). According to the meteorological service, temperatures across the country were some 10 degrees Celsius, or 18 degrees Fahrenheit, higher than average temperatures for the time of year.

Tel Aviv and its surrounding coastal plain faced among the highest temperatures, with highs of 34.5°C (94°F), bringing thousands of residents to the city’s beaches for a late-season day in the sun, Hebrew outlets reported. In nearby Herzliya, midday temperatures reached 34.3°C (93°F).

Taking advantage of the late-season heat, tens of thousands of Israelis made their way to national parks and recreational areas across the country, with the National Parks Service reporting that some 70,000 people entered their parks and reserves on Saturday.

Jerusalem, which sits at a higher elevation, stayed somewhat cooler, but still faced uncharacteristically high temperatures ranging around 27°C (80°F)

Eilat, the resort town at the southern tip of the country, hit highs of 37.2°C (98°F).

In the northern port city of Haifa, highs reached 32.8°C (91°F).

By the Dead Sea, temperatures reached 34.2°C (93°F), and the towns along the coast of the Sea of Galilee faced highs ranging between 32-35°C (91-95°F).

The heatwave marked a sharp departure from the winter storm that hit the country last weekend, and is expected to temper a bit but continue through Monday, with autumn temperatures and winds forecasted to return Tuesday.