Cold Snap
Hermon Closes As Winter Tightens Grip on Israel | WATCH
Snow fell overnight at Mount Hermon, coating the lower levels of the site and pushing temperatures down to freezing. Heavy fog and ongoing snowfall forced the resort to shut down operations, and management announced the site would remain closed to visitors due to the severe conditions.
Winter weather tightened its grip on Israel over the weekend, bringing widespread rain, local flooding and fresh snow in the north, along with the familiar mix of disruption, cautious travel warnings and Israelis stubbornly going out anyway.
Snow fell overnight at Mount Hermon, coating the lower levels of the site and pushing temperatures down to freezing. Heavy fog and ongoing snowfall forced the resort to shut down operations, and management announced the site would remain closed to visitors due to the severe conditions. While the Hermon briefly opened on Saturday with free entry, weather conditions quickly deteriorated, grounding the cable car and ending any hope of winter tourism for the moment.
Elsewhere, rain that began Friday afternoon spread from the northern mountains down through the center of the country and into the northern Negev. Emergency services were kept busy overnight as firefighters rescued a man trapped in Sorek Stream, while crews continued efforts Sunday morning to reach three people stranded by floodwaters in Halamot Stream. Authorities warned that even moderate rainfall can quickly turn desert streams into dangerous torrents, urging the public to stay away from flowing channels.
Despite the wintry conditions, the rain did not stop outdoor activity altogether. Around 20,000 Israelis visited nature reserves and national parks over the weekend, including Masada, Caesarea National Park and Ein Avdat. At the same time, the Nature and Parks Authority closed flood-prone sites near the Dead Sea, including Ein Gedi and Ein Bokek, and reiterated a strict ban on entering streambeds during active runoff.
The storm system also failed to solve Israel’s long-term water concerns. While rain over the weekend produced light inflows toward the Sea of Galilee, water levels remain far below where they need to be for this stage of winter. Officials cautioned that one wet weekend does not undo a dry season.
Looking ahead, meteorologists forecast continued unsettled weather. Rain is expected to weaken temporarily before another strong system arrives, bringing gusty winds, renewed rainfall and a heightened risk of flooding across central Israel and the coastal plain. Only later in the week is the weather expected to stabilize.
For now, the message is familiar: enjoy the snow from a distance, respect the streams, and remember that Israeli winter has a habit of escalating quickly.