The Israel Meteorological Service warned Tuesday that an unusually rainy weekend is heading for Israel. Exceptionally high rainfall is expected along the entire coastal strip, from the northern coast and the Carmel through Gush Dan and the lowlands, down to the Lachish region and the southern coast.
The winter system is expected to arrive Thursday evening, with showers beginning in northern Israel. On Friday, the rain will spread and fall intermittently across the north and center of the country, with heavy downpours in some areas.
The system is forecast to peak on Shabbos. The Meteorological Service said tens of millimeters of rain could fall within just a few hours. That creates a serious risk of flooding in cities along the central coast, in the lowlands and as far south as the Ashkelon area.
The Meteorological Service published a map of expected cumulative rainfall through Shabbos. It urged the public to prepare and to take extra care in flood-prone areas.
The storm will bring a sharp change in the weather after an unusual early November heat wave. Earlier this week, southeasterly winds pushed daytime temperatures in the inner coastal plain, the lowlands and the northern Negev to between 31 and 35 degrees Celsius. Along the coast, in the mountains and in the north, temperatures stayed below 30 degrees.
Forecasters recommend following the Meteorological Service’s updates and warnings as the weekend approaches.
