"A Long Winter Period": Forecasters Warn of Consecutive Days of Rain Starting This Weekend

Israel is currently experiencing a temporary lull in weather conditions following a day of intense rainfall that caused widespread chaos in coastal cities. While the rain is expected to weaken and stop by Wednesday morning, meteorologists are warning that this is merely the "opening act" for a prolonged and severe winter system set to arrive over the weekend. The coming days will provide a brief window of stable weather before a significant atmospheric shift brings several consecutive days of heavy precipitation across the country.

The recent rains reached a peak of intensity in Netanya on Tuesday afternoon, where a staggering 40mm of rain fell within a single hour. This localized downpour overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems, leading to extreme flooding in residential neighborhoods and main thoroughfares. In some of the most dramatic scenes of the day, residents were forced to climb onto the roofs of their vehicles to escape rising water levels that quickly submerged cars. Emergency rescue teams were deployed in inflatable boats to retrieve stranded individuals, and a section of Highway 2 near the Poleg Interchange was temporarily closed to traffic due to deep water on the asphalt.

The forecast for the remainder of the week indicates a gradual rise in temperatures through Thursday, though strong easterly winds are expected to pick up in the northern and central mountain ranges. By Friday, light drizzles may return to the north and the coast, but the true transition will begin on Saturday evening. Forecasters predict that the rain will intensify significantly overnight Saturday, leading into a cold and wet Sunday morning.

Looking ahead to next week, authorities are preparing for a sustained winter system that will likely include multiple waves of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and a risk of flash floods in eastern and southern riverbeds. This extended period of stormy weather is expected to last through the final days of the year, providing a much-needed boost to the national water reserves but posing a continued risk for urban flooding in low-lying coastal areas.