Extreme Heatwave Forecast Prompts High Alert Across Israel

Israel's Meteorological Service has issued a series of unusually severe heat warnings, including red, orange, and yellow alerts, for widespread extreme heat expected across the country on Thursday. The intense heat is forecast to begin early Thursday morning and last until late evening.

A red alert, signifying the highest risk level, has been activated for the Beit She'an Valley, the Kinneret Basin, the Jordan Valley, the southern Judean Desert, the Dead Sea area, and the northern Arava. These regions are expected to experience heavy to extreme heat from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

Concurrently, an orange alert is in effect for the southern Golan Heights, eastern Lower Galilee, the Hula Valley, the northern Judean Desert, the Dead Sea area, Eilat Bay, and the southern Arava. These areas will face heavy heat loads between 10:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

A broad range of areas are under a yellow alert, indicating significant heat. This includes eastern Upper Galilee, western Lower Galilee, the Jezreel Valley, Ramot Menashe, the northern coastal plain, northern Sharon, Gush Dan, the Shefela region, northern Samaria, northeastern Samaria, the Judean Desert fringe, and all areas of the Negev and Eilat Mountains. The yellow alert is scheduled from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

An additional, more localized yellow alert will be in place for Mount Carmel and the southern coastal plain between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM.